When Is the First Day of Winter 2026? Free Winter Countdown

When is the first day of winter 2026?

The December solstice (astronomical winter in the northern hemisphere), December 21 or 22. Astronomical winter begins at the December solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. From the next day, daylight slowly gets longer. Meteorological winter starts on December 1.

In 2026, winter falls on a Monday. In 2025 it was on a Sunday, December 21. In 2027 it will be on a Tuesday, December 21.

How the winter date is worked out

The date is the moment the Sun crosses the equator (an equinox) or reaches its furthest point north or south (a solstice). We calculate that moment with Jean Meeus's astronomical formulas and convert it to US Eastern time, which is why it can be a day earlier or later in other time zones. From 2026 to 2100 it falls between December 20 and December 21. How we calculate every date.

How many days until winter in weeks, weekdays and sleeps

The countdown counts calendar days from today to winter, so on the day before it shows 1. The weeks box splits that into whole weeks and days, the weekdays box counts Monday to Friday (useful for work and school planning, though public holidays are not taken out), and sleeps are the nights left. The timer counts down to midnight at the start of winter in your own time zone.

Winter dates for the next 7 years

Year	Date	Day of the week
2026	December 21, 2026	Monday
2027	December 21, 2027	Tuesday
2028	December 21, 2028	Thursday
2029	December 21, 2029	Friday
2030	December 21, 2030	Saturday
2031	December 21, 2031	Sunday
2032	December 21, 2032	Tuesday

Is the first day of winter a holiday?

No. The first day of winter is an astronomical event, not a holiday. Everything is open as normal.

Planning tip

Even though days start getting longer after the solstice, the coldest weeks usually come in January and February because land and oceans take time to cool.

Frequently asked questions

When is the first day of winter 2026?

Winter 2026 is on Monday, December 21, 2026. The rule: The December solstice (astronomical winter in the northern hemisphere), December 21 or 22.

How many days until winter?

The countdown at the top of this page shows the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until winter 2026 (Monday, December 21, 2026), worked out live in your own time zone.

How many weeks until winter?

Divide the days in the countdown by seven: the "Weeks" box above shows the whole weeks and the days left over, so you can plan week by week.

Is the first day of winter a holiday?

No. The first day of winter is an astronomical event, not a holiday. Everything is open as normal.

Is the first day of winter the shortest day of the year?

Yes. The December solstice has the least daylight of any day in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere it is the longest day and the start of summer.

Related countdowns

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