The first day of fall 2027 is Thursday, September 23, 2027, in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones, and Wednesday, September 22, on the West Coast. The September equinox occurs at 06:02 UTC.
Fall 2027 begins on two different calendar dates in the United States. The September equinox falls at 2:02 a.m. EDT on Thursday, September 23, but at 11:02 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, September 22.
Denver and Phoenix, which share the same longitude, start fall on different days: the equinox arrives at 12:02 a.m. MDT in Denver on September 23 and at 11:02 p.m. MST in Phoenix on September 22, because Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. Day and night are closest to equal on September 25 to 28, a few days after the equinox.
Table of Contents
When is the first day of fall 2027?
The September equinox 2027 occurs at 06:02 UTC on Thursday, September 23, 2027, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. It is the first day of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
The table converts the moment to local time.
| Time zone or city | September equinox 2027 |
|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 2:02 a.m. |
| Central (Chicago) | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 1:02 a.m. |
| Mountain (Denver) | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 12:02 a.m. |
| Arizona (Phoenix, no daylight saving time) | Wednesday, September 22, 2027, 11:02 p.m. |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | Wednesday, September 22, 2027, 11:02 p.m. |
| Alaska (Anchorage) | Wednesday, September 22, 2027, 10:02 p.m. |
| Hawaii (Honolulu) | Wednesday, September 22, 2027, 8:02 p.m. |
| London | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 7:02 a.m. |
| Paris and Berlin | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 8:02 a.m. |
| New Delhi | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 11:32 a.m. |
| Tokyo | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 3:02 p.m. |
| Sydney (first day of spring) | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 4:02 p.m. |
What happens at the September equinox 2027
At the September equinox, the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south and stands directly overhead at the equator at noon. From this moment until the winter solstice on Tuesday, December 21, 2027, the Northern Hemisphere’s nights are longer than its days, and the Sun’s noon height keeps falling. The equinox mirrors the March equinox that began spring on Saturday, March 20, 2027.
Day length on the first day of fall 2027
Every U.S. city still gets slightly more than 12 hours of daylight on the first day of fall 2027, between 12 hours 6 minutes and 12 hours 9 minutes.
Sunrise and sunset are timed from the Sun’s upper edge, and atmospheric refraction raises the Sun’s image, so equinox days run a few minutes over 12 hours. The equilux, when daylight first drops to 12 hours or less, comes two to five days after the equinox.
| City | Sunrise, September 23, 2027 | Sunset, September 23, 2027 | Day length | Autumn equilux (first day with 12 h or less) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 7:10 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Tuesday, September 28, 2027 |
| Houston | 7:11 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Monday, September 27, 2027 |
| Los Angeles | 6:42 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Sunday, September 26, 2027 |
| New York City | 6:45 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Sunday, September 26, 2027 |
| Chicago | 6:39 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Sunday, September 26, 2027 |
| Seattle | 6:58 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 12 h 7 min | Sunday, September 26, 2027 |
| Anchorage | 7:47 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 12 h 9 min | Saturday, September 25, 2027 |
How fast days shorten after the first day of fall 2027
Days shorten fastest around the September equinox, by about 2 to 3 minutes per day in New York City and more than 5 minutes per day in Anchorage.
The rate slows as the winter solstice approaches. In New York City, day length falls from 12 hours 6 minutes on September 23 to 9 hours 14 minutes at the December solstice.
Clocks fall back one hour when daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 7, 2027, which moves sunset about an hour earlier overnight.
Astronomical vs. meteorological fall 2027
Astronomical fall 2027 runs from the September equinox to the December solstice; meteorological fall runs from September 1 to November 30. Weather services use whole months for comparable seasonal records.
| Definition | Fall 2027 begins | Fall 2027 ends | Used by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomical | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 2:02 a.m. EDT | Tuesday, December 21, 2027, 9:42 p.m. EST | Almanacs, calendars |
| Meteorological | Wednesday, September 1, 2027 | Tuesday, November 30, 2027 | National Weather Service, NOAA climate records |
Harvest Moon 2027
The Harvest Moon 2027, the full moon closest to the September equinox, rises on Wednesday, September 15, 2027, eight days before fall begins. The Moon is exactly full at 23:03 UTC (7:03 p.m. EDT).
The next full moon, on Friday, October 15, 2027, is the Hunter’s Moon. In most years, the Harvest Moon falls in September, but when the equinox full moon is closer in early October, the name moves to October.
The same full moon sets the date of the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu) on the 15th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month: Wednesday, September 15, 2027. Korea’s Chuseok holiday centers on the same date.
How the first day of fall is observed
Several calendars mark the September equinox with holidays or harvest festivals. The table lists 2027 observances.
| Observance | Where | 2027 date |
|---|---|---|
| Autumnal Equinox Day (Shūbun no Hi) | Japan (national holiday) | Thursday, September 23, 2027 |
| Autumn Higan | Japan (Buddhist) | The week centered on the equinox |
| Mabon | Pagan traditions | At the equinox, September 22 or 23, 2027 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival and Chuseok | China, Taiwan, Korea and diaspora communities | Wednesday, September 15, 2027 |
| Sukkot (harvest festival) | Jewish communities | Begins at sundown on Friday, October 15, 2027 |
Japan’s date comes from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan’s 2027 calendar. Sukkot and the High Holidays that precede it are listed in the Jewish Calendar 2027.
First day of fall dates 2026 to 2031
The September equinox falls on September 22 or 23 in U.S. time zones, and the date can differ between the East and West Coasts. In 2026, fall begins on Tuesday, September 22, in every U.S. time zone.
Earlier in 2027, the summer solstice on Monday, June 21, marked the midpoint of the light half of the year.
| Year | Equinox (UTC) | Eastern time | Pacific time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | September 23, 00:05 | Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 8:05 p.m. | Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 5:05 p.m. |
| 2027 | September 23, 06:02 | Thursday, September 23, 2027, 2:02 a.m. | Wednesday, September 22, 2027, 11:02 p.m. |
| 2028 | September 22, 11:45 | Friday, September 22, 2028, 7:45 a.m. | Friday, September 22, 2028, 4:45 a.m. |
| 2029 | September 22, 17:38 | Saturday, September 22, 2029, 1:38 p.m. | Saturday, September 22, 2029, 10:38 a.m. |
| 2030 | September 22, 23:27 | Sunday, September 22, 2030, 7:27 p.m. | Sunday, September 22, 2030, 4:27 p.m. |
| 2031 | September 23, 05:15 | Tuesday, September 23, 2031, 1:15 a.m. | Monday, September 22, 2031, 10:15 p.m. |
The full sequence of 2027 equinoxes and solstices is set out in Seasons 2027.
What the first day of fall 2027 is not
The first day of fall is often confused with related events. The points below separate them.
- It is not the day of equal day and night. The autumn equilux falls on September 25 to 28, 2027, in U.S. cities.
- It is not the same date across the United States in 2027. It is September 23 in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain zones and September 22 from Arizona and the Pacific zone westward.
- It is not the start of meteorological fall. That began on Wednesday, September 1, 2027.
- It is not when clocks change. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 7, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first day of fall 2027?
The first day of fall 2027 is Thursday, September 23, 2027, in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones, and Wednesday, September 22, 2027, in the Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii time zones and Arizona.
What time does fall start in 2027?
Fall 2027 starts at 2:02 a.m. EDT on September 23, or 11:02 p.m. PDT on September 22 (06:02 UTC).
When is the first day of fall 2026?
The first day of fall 2026 is Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 p.m. EDT (5:05 p.m. PDT; 00:05 UTC on September 23).
