Time zone
WET
Western European Standard Time
Western European Standard Time (WET) covers a patchwork of Atlantic island groups and mainland Portugal, where life runs on the calm of Greenwich Mean Time for much of the year but shifts forward by one hour in summer to soak up the long daylight of the European year. Every member zone—including the Canary Islands, Faroe Islands, Madeira, and Lisbon—follows the same daylight-savings rhythm, making scheduling across the region straightforward once you know the spring-forward and fall-back dates involved.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Current offset
UTC+01:00
Daylight · WEST
Daylight saving
Active
Reverts 25 Oct 2026
IANA zones
0
None observe daylight saving
DST offset
—
No summer variant
About WET
A fixed, year-round offset.
Western European Standard Time (WET) covers a patchwork of Atlantic island groups and mainland Portugal, where life runs on the calm of Greenwich Mean Time for much of the year but shifts forward by one hour in summer to soak up the long daylight of the European year. Every member zone—including the Canary Islands, Faroe Islands, Madeira, and Lisbon—follows the same daylight-savings rhythm, making scheduling across the region straightforward once you know the spring-forward and fall-back dates involved.
Same offset · UTC+01:00
Other zones at UTC+01:00 right now.
These named zones share WET's offset today. When daylight saving rules differ, they drift apart for part of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about WET, daylight saving, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What standard offset does Western European Standard Time use?
- During standard time (roughly late October to late March), the region aligns with Greenwich Mean Time, so the baseline offset is UTC+00:00.
- When does Western European Standard Time switch to WEST?
- All member zones move clocks one hour ahead at 01:00 UTC on the last Sunday of March, turning WET into WEST.
- Do all WET zones observe daylight saving?
- Yes, every listed zone that starts in WET shifts to WEST in summer; there is no WET member that stays on standard time all year.
- Which regions or countries use WET / WEST?
- The main members are the Canary Islands (Spain), Faroe Islands (Denmark), Madeira (Portugal), and mainland Portugal (Europe/Lisbon).
- What sets the Canary Islands apart from mainland Spain’s timezone?
- Although part of Spain, the Canary Islands sit on WET / WEST instead of Central European Time, keeping them one hour behind Madrid and aligned with the Atlantic-facing parts of Portugal.
- How does daylight saving affect business hours in WET areas?
- When WEST is active, mornings start and evenings linger in daylight, which suits tourism and cross-Atlantic coordination; conversely, in standard-time months the earlier sunsets encourage earlier work schedules.
- Why do island groups like Madeira and the Faroe Islands share WET?
- Historically, these archipelagos coordinated telegraph and shipping schedules with London and Lisbon, anchoring them to Greenwich Mean Time and the same daylight-saving cycle.
- Is it easy to sync meetings between WET and CET zones?
- During summer (WEST vs. CEST), both regions are on daylight saving, so the hour difference remains consistent, but in winter WET lags CET by one hour year-round.
- When does WEST switch back to WET?
- On the last Sunday of October, clocks go back from 02:00 WEST to 01:00 WET, restoring the standard-time offset.
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