Why did my Customer Journey send emails before the scheduled time set in a 'Time Delay' element?

When using a 'Time Delay' element in a Customer Journey configured to "Wait until [specific time] in user's local time", the delay is evaluated based on each individual device's detected timezone as it enters that step.

Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. A device enters the 'Time Delay' element in the Journey.
2. The system checks the current time in that specific device's local timezone.
3. If the device's local time is before the specified delay time: The device will wait at this step until the specified time is reached in its local timezone.
4. If the device's local time is already at or past the specified delay time: The device will proceed immediately to the next element in the Journey without waiting.
5. If the next element is a 'Send Email' action, the email will be sent immediately to the email address associated with the User ID of the device that just passed the 'Time Delay' element.

This means that devices entering the Journey from timezones where the specified time has already passed will move through the 'Time Delay' element instantly and trigger subsequent actions (like sending an email) sooner than devices in timezones that have not yet reached the specified time.