The first day of spring 2027 is Saturday, March 20, 2027. The March equinox occurs at 4:25 p.m. EDT (1:25 p.m. PDT, 20:25 UTC), according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Day and night are not equal on the first day of spring. On Saturday, March 20, 2027, New York City gets 12 hours 7 minutes of daylight.
The date closest to 12 hours of day and 12 of night, called the equilux, comes earlier: Thursday, March 18, 2027, in New York City and Tuesday, March 16, in Miami.
The first day of spring 2027 falls on March 20 in the Americas and Europe but on March 21 in Asia and Australia. In 2028, it falls on Sunday, March 19, in every U.S. time zone.
Table of Contents
When is the first day of spring 2027?
The March equinox 2027 occurs at 20:25 UTC on Saturday, March 20, 2027. In the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the first day of astronomical spring; in the Southern Hemisphere, the first day of autumn.
U.S. daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 14, 2027, so the times below are daylight time where it applies.
| Time zone or city | March equinox 2027 |
|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 4:25 p.m. |
| Central (Chicago) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 3:25 p.m. |
| Mountain (Denver) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 2:25 p.m. |
| Arizona (Phoenix, no daylight saving time) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 1:25 p.m. |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 1:25 p.m. |
| Alaska (Anchorage) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 12:25 p.m. |
| Hawaii (Honolulu) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 10:25 a.m. |
| London | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 8:25 p.m. |
| Paris and Berlin | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 9:25 p.m. |
| Tehran | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 11:55 p.m. |
| New Delhi | Sunday, March 21, 2027, 1:55 a.m. |
| Tokyo | Sunday, March 21, 2027, 5:25 a.m. |
| Sydney (first day of autumn) | Sunday, March 21, 2027, 7:25 a.m. |
What happens at the March equinox 2027
At the March equinox, the Sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north and stands directly overhead at the equator at noon.
After this moment, the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct sunlight than the Southern Hemisphere until the September equinox on Thursday, September 23, 2027. The word “equinox” comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).
Day length on the first day of spring 2027
Every U.S. city gets slightly more than 12 hours of daylight on March 20, 2027, from 12 hours 6 minutes in Miami to 12 hours 13 minutes in Anchorage. Two effects make the equinox day longer than 12 hours.
Sunrise and sunset are measured from the Sun’s upper edge, not its center, and atmospheric refraction lifts the Sun’s image above the horizon before it actually rises.
The table gives each city’s sunrise, sunset, and equilux date.
| City | Sunrise, March 20, 2027 | Sunset, March 20, 2027 | Day length | Equilux (first day with 12 h of daylight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 7:25 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 |
| Houston | 7:26 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 12 h 6 min | Wednesday, March 17, 2027 |
| Los Angeles | 6:57 a.m. | 7:04 p.m. | 12 h 7 min | Wednesday, March 17, 2027 |
| New York City | 7:00 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 12 h 7 min | Thursday, March 18, 2027 |
| Chicago | 6:54 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 12 h 8 min | Thursday, March 18, 2027 |
| Seattle | 7:13 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 12 h 9 min | Thursday, March 18, 2027 |
| Anchorage | 8:01 a.m. | 8:14 p.m. | 12 h 13 min | Thursday, March 18, 2027 |
How to find the equilux for the first day of spring 2027 in your city
- Look up daily sunrise and sunset for your city in a sunrise table, such as those published by the U.S. Naval Observatory.
- Subtract sunrise from sunset for each day in mid-March.
- Find the first day the result reaches 12 hours 0 minutes. That is your spring equilux, typically two to four days before the equinox in the continental United States.
Astronomical vs. meteorological spring 2027
Astronomical spring 2027 runs from Saturday, March 20, to the June solstice on Monday, June 21, 2027. Meteorological spring runs from March 1 to May 31. Weather services use whole months so that seasonal records can be compared year to year.
| Definition | Spring 2027 begins | Spring 2027 ends | Length | Used by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomical | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 4:25 p.m. EDT | Monday, June 21, 2027, 10:11 a.m. EDT | About 92 days 18 hours | Almanacs, calendars |
| Meteorological | Monday, March 1, 2027 | Monday, May 31, 2027 | 92 days | National Weather Service, NOAA climate records |
How the first day of spring is observed
Several calendars and festivals are fixed to the March equinox. The table lists major observances in 2027.
| Observance | Where | 2027 date |
|---|---|---|
| Nowruz (Persian New Year) | Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and diaspora communities | Sunday, March 21, 2027; the equinox falls after noon in Tehran, so Nowruz begins the next day |
| Vernal Equinox Day (Shunbun no Hi) | Japan (national holiday) | Sunday, March 21, 2027, with a substitute holiday on Monday, March 22 |
| Spring Higan | Japan (Buddhist) | The week centered on the equinox |
| Ostara | Pagan traditions | At the equinox, March 20, 2027 |
| Chichén Itzá serpent shadow | Yucatán, Mexico | Visible in the afternoons around the equinox |
Japan’s dates come from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan’s 2027 calendar, which confirms that Monday, March 22, 2027, is a substitute holiday.
The first day of spring 2027 and the date of Easter
The Church sets Easter from a fixed ecclesiastical equinox of March 21, not the astronomical equinox. In 2027 the two differ by one day: the astronomical equinox is March 20, and the ecclesiastical date is March 21.
The first full moon after March 21 falls on Monday, March 22, 2027, so Easter falls on the following Sunday, March 28, 2027. The Easter 2027 guide explains the full calculation.
First day of spring dates 2026 to 2031
The March equinox falls on March 19 or 20 in the United States, depending on the year and the time zone. In 2028, it falls on the evening of Sunday, March 19, in every U.S. time zone, because leap years pull the equinox earlier.
| Year | Equinox (UTC) | Eastern time | Pacific time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | March 20, 14:46 | Friday, March 20, 2026, 10:46 a.m. | Friday, March 20, 2026, 7:46 a.m. |
| 2027 | March 20, 20:25 | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 4:25 p.m. | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 1:25 p.m. |
| 2028 | March 20, 02:17 | Sunday, March 19, 2028, 10:17 p.m. | Sunday, March 19, 2028, 7:17 p.m. |
| 2029 | March 20, 08:02 | Tuesday, March 20, 2029, 4:02 a.m. | Tuesday, March 20, 2029, 1:02 a.m. |
| 2030 | March 20, 13:52 | Wednesday, March 20, 2030, 9:52 a.m. | Wednesday, March 20, 2030, 6:52 a.m. |
| 2031 | March 20, 19:41 | Thursday, March 20, 2031, 3:41 p.m. | Thursday, March 20, 2031, 12:41 p.m. |
What the first day of spring 2027 is not
The first day of spring is often confused with related events. The points below separate them.
- It is not the day of equal day and night. That day, the equilux, falls March 16 to 18 in U.S. cities in 2027.
- It is not always March 21. The March equinox has not fallen on March 21 in any U.S. time zone since 2007, and it will not again this century.
- It is not the start of meteorological spring. That began on Monday, March 1, 2027.
- It is not the date used to set Easter. Churches use a fixed ecclesiastical equinox of March 21.
Frequently asked questions
What time does spring start in 2027?
Spring 2027 starts at 4:25 p.m. EDT, 1:25 p.m. PDT, on Saturday, March 20, 2027 (20:25 UTC).
Is the first day of spring 2027 on March 20 or 21?
The first day of spring 2027 is March 20 in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe, and March 21 in India, East Asia, and Australia, because the equinox occurs at 20:25 UTC.
Are day and night equal on the first day of spring?
No. On March 20, 2027, U.S. cities get 12 hours 6 to 13 minutes of daylight. Equal day and night, the equilux, occurs March 16 to 18, depending on latitude.
