The time zone for this page (WET) is not currently in effect. The correct current time zone is WEST.
Please see the correct page here: Current Time in WEST.
Current Time in WET (Western European Time)
About WET
The standard time for parts of Western Europe (e.g., Portugal mainland, Canary Islands, Faroe Islands) and Northwest Africa. It is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). During summer, regions observing WET usually switch to WEST.
UTC Offset: +00:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Europe/Lisbon
Western European Time (WET): The Complete Guide
Western European Time (WET) is the standard time zone for Portugal, the Faroe Islands, and the Canary and Madeira islands. It runs on UTC+00:00, aligning with Coordinated Universal Time, and switches to Western European Summer Time (WEST, UTC+01:00) during daylight saving. This zone is the westernmost European time zone, distinct from Central European Time (CET) to the east and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to the north.
What is Western European Time?
WET stands for Western European Time, also known as UTC+00:00. It is the standard time used in parts of Western Europe during winter. The abbreviation WET is widely recognized, though it is sometimes called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in the UK and Ireland, but those countries are not part of this zone. WET is the base time for the European continent's western edge.
Standard Offset and Daylight Saving
WET's standard offset is UTC+00:00. From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, clocks advance by one hour to Western European Summer Time (WEST), which is UTC+01:00. This DST shift is synchronized with the European Union's daylight saving schedule. During summer, the zone effectively matches Central European Time (CET) for those months.
Countries, Regions, and Major Cities
WET covers the following territories:
- Portugal (mainland and Azores? No, Azores use UTC-01:00. Mainland Portugal, including Lisbon, Porto, and Faro, uses WET. The Madeira archipelago also uses WET.)
- Spain (only the Canary Islands: Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Mainland Spain uses CET.)
- Faroe Islands (Tórshavn, Klaksvík) – an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Key cities: Lisbon (Portugal), Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Tórshavn (Faroe Islands), Funchal (Madeira).
How It Differs from Neighbouring Zones
To the east, mainland Spain and France use Central European Time (CET, UTC+01:00) year-round except DST. During winter, WET is one hour behind CET. During summer, both zones shift to UTC+01:00 and UTC+02:00 respectively, so WET remains one hour behind. To the north, the United Kingdom uses GMT (UTC+00:00) in winter and BST (UTC+01:00) in summer, identical to WET/WEST. However, the UK is not part of the WET zone. The Azores (Portugal) use Azores Time (UTC-01:00), one hour behind WET. Morocco to the south uses UTC+00:00 year-round (no DST) except during Ramadan, creating temporary alignment differences.
Practical Business Hours Guidance
When scheduling across WET and CET (e.g., Lisbon to Berlin), remember that during winter, Lisbon is 1 hour behind Berlin. During summer, both are on DST but still 1 hour apart. For calls with the UK, there is no difference year-round. With the US East Coast (EST/EDT), WET is 5 hours ahead during winter and 4 hours ahead during summer. Best overlap for transatlantic calls: 14:00-17:00 WET (9:00-12:00 EST). For Asia (e.g., Tokyo JST+9), WET is 9 hours behind in winter, so early afternoon in Lisbon is late evening in Tokyo.
IANA Time Zone Database
The IANA time zone identifiers under WET include: Atlantic/Canary, Atlantic/Faeroe, Atlantic/Faroe, Atlantic/Madeira, Europe/Lisbon, Portugal, and WET. These ensure precise timekeeping for each region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Western European Time the same as GMT?
Yes, during standard time, WET and GMT share the same offset (UTC+00:00). However, GMT is a time zone used in the UK and Ireland, while WET is used in Portugal, Faroe Islands, and the Canary Islands. They are not officially the same zone, but they align in practice.
Does Portugal use WET year-round?
No, Portugal observes daylight saving time. From late March to late October, it switches to Western European Summer Time (WEST, UTC+01:00). Only the Azores use a different zone (UTC-01:00).
Why are the Canary Islands in WET while mainland Spain is in CET?
The Canary Islands are geographically far west, so they use WET to better align with solar time. Mainland Spain uses CET for historical and political reasons, despite being west of the CET meridian.
What is the difference between WET and WEST?
WET is the standard time (UTC+00:00) used in winter. WEST is the daylight saving time (UTC+01:00) used in summer. The switch occurs on the last Sunday of March and October.
Does the Faroe Islands use WET?
Yes, the Faroe Islands use WET during winter and WEST during summer, following the same DST schedule as the rest of Europe.
Is Lisbon in WET or CET?
Lisbon, Portugal, is in WET (UTC+00:00) during winter and WEST (UTC+01:00) during summer. It is never in CET.