Python datetime.utcnow() returning incorrect datetime

Question

datetime.utcnow()

This call is returning an incorrect datetime, delayed from UTC/GMT by 1 hour (check in: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_ti

Answer 1

Problem only occurs with utc time (Python3).

e.g. System time:

$ date

Wed Jul 15 10:44:26 BST 2015

Python time correct when using datetime.now():

>>> datetime.now()

datetime.datetime(2015, 7, 15, 10, 44, 30, 775840)

...But incorrect by one hour when using datetime.utcnow():

>>> datetime.utcnow()

datetime.datetime(2015, 7, 15, 9, 44, 32, 599823)

UTC's problem is it doesn't know my timezone.

You have to tell it, with the help of a timezone module called pytz:

>>> import pytz
>>> mytz = pytz.timezone('Europe/London')
>>> pytz.utc.localize(datetime.utcnow(), is_dst=None).astimezone(mytz)

datetime.datetime(2015, 7, 15, 11, 3, 43, 688681, tzinfo=)

References:

pytz - Converting UTC and timezone to local time

https://opensourcehacker.com/2008/06/30/relativity-of-time-shortcomings-in-python-datetime-and-workaround/

http://sweemengs-tech-world.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/get-correct-datetime-value-for-python.html

http://bugs.python.org/issue5094)