Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time probably because the state sees no point in extending the number of evening hours the hot summer sun beats down on the desert. Having the sun go down at eight PM in June and July is better than having it go down at nine.
During DST, Arizona is on Pacific Daylight Time (well, Arizona Time actually) and after DST ends we’re on Mountain Standard Time. The most pronounced effect is that the TV schedules are driven by networks that DO observe DST. So, in the fall, instead of being three hours less than eastern time, we’re only behind by two. All the five o’clock television events now come on at six.
Interestingly, some of Arizona does observe DST – The Navajo Nation overlaps the Utah, Colorado and New Mexico borders so the tribal leadership observes DST. I found this out last May in Page Arizona (within the Navajo reservation) when my GPS was estimating our arrival at the campground according to Navajo time which showed an hour later than the actual time we arrived according to the clock in the truck.
Image – “Limp Watches” by Salvador Dali
