Winter Countdown
As of October 17, 2026 there are 65 days until the first day of winter: Monday, December 21, 2026.
Monday, December 21, 2026
How many days until the first day of winter?
As of October 17, 2026, the first day of winter is 65 days away. That is 9 weeks and 2 days, or 18% of a year; the timer above has the exact figure for today in your time zone.
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 in 2026? Dates through 2035
How the date of the first day of winter is set
Astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere begins at the December solstice, which falls on December 21 or 22 in most years.
The US Naval Observatory publishes the equinox and solstice times. The times on this page are calculated with Jean Meeus's method and agree with them to within a minute or two.
Also coming up: the first day of spring on Saturday, March 20, 2027, Christmas on Friday, December 25, 2026, and New Year's Day on Friday, January 1, 2027.
December solstice facts
At the December solstice the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, giving the Northern Hemisphere its shortest day of the year.
At the December solstice the Sun stands directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. It usually falls on December 21 but can come a day earlier or later.
- Meteorologists count winter from December 1 instead.
- In the Southern Hemisphere the December solstice is the start of summer.
How the winter 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.
For a span between any two dates, with weeks and working days, use the days between dates calculator. To count down to a date of your own, create a countdown with its own link.
Put the winter countdown on your site
Copy this code into any web page. It shows a small live countdown that links back here.
Questions about the winter countdown
How many weeks until the first day of winter?
9 weeks and 2 days as of October 17, 2026, or 65 days in all. The countdown at the top of this page updates to today's number in your own time zone.
When does the winter countdown reach zero?
At the moment of the December solstice: December 21, 2026, 20:50 UTC, which is 3:50 PM EST on the US East Coast. The whole world reaches zero at the same instant, so the calendar date can differ by time zone.
Can I add the December solstice to my calendar?
Yes. "Add to calendar" downloads an .ics file for December 21, 2026 that calendar apps such as Apple Calendar, Google Calendar and Outlook can import.
When is the first day of winter in 2027?
Wednesday, December 22, 2027. The first day of winter dates page lists every year through 2035.
Sources
- US Naval Observatory: Earth's Seasons — published equinox and solstice times (checked October 16, 2026)
- Wikipedia: December solstice — history and traditions (checked October 16, 2026)