Winter Countdown
As of October 13, 2026 there are 69 days until the first day of winter: Monday, December 21, 2026.
Monday, December 21, 2026
First day of winter dates, 2026 to 2031
| Year | Date | Day | Starts (UTC) | US Eastern time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday | December 21, 2026, 20:50 UTC | Monday, December 21, 2026 at 3:50 PM EST | |
| 2027 | Wednesday | December 22, 2027, 02:42 UTC | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 at 9:42 PM EST | |
| 2028 | Thursday | December 21, 2028, 08:20 UTC | Thursday, December 21, 2028 at 3:20 AM EST | |
| 2029 | Friday | December 21, 2029, 14:14 UTC | Friday, December 21, 2029 at 9:14 AM EST | |
| 2030 | Saturday | December 21, 2030, 20:09 UTC | Saturday, December 21, 2030 at 3:09 PM EST | |
| 2031 | Monday | December 22, 2031, 01:56 UTC | Sunday, December 21, 2031 at 8:56 PM EST |
The season starts at one moment worldwide, so the calendar date depends on your time zone. The countdown above uses your device's clock.
When does winter start? Dates through 2035
How the date is set
Astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere begins at the December solstice, which falls on December 21 or 22 in most years.
At the December solstice the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, giving the Northern Hemisphere its shortest day of the year.
Good to know
- Meteorologists count winter from December 1 instead.
- In the Southern Hemisphere the December solstice is the start of summer.
How this countdown counts
The timer runs to the exact moment of the December solstice. The days figure in the sentence above counts calendar days in your time zone.
Put this countdown on your site
Copy this code into any web page. It shows a small live countdown that links back here.