Winter 2027 starts with the winter solstice on Tuesday, December 21, 2027, at 9:42 p.m. EST (02:42 UTC on Wednesday, December 22). It ends at the spring equinox on Sunday, March 19, 2028, at 10:17 p.m. EDT.
Astronomical winter 2027 begins at the December solstice, which falls on the evening of Tuesday, December 21, 2027, in every US time zone but after midnight on Wednesday, December 22, in the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Meteorological winter starts three weeks earlier, on Wednesday, December 1, 2027. Winter 2027–2028 also has an unusual feature: 2028 is a leap year, so meteorological winter runs through Tuesday, February 29, 2028, and lasts 91 days instead of the usual 90.
This page gives both definitions, exact times for every US time zone, the dates of the earlier winter that runs from December 2026 into March 2027, and a calendar of the holidays and full moons that fall within winter 2027–2028.
Table of Contents
When does winter start in 2027?
Astronomical winter 2027 starts on Tuesday, December 21, 2027, at 9:42 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, which is 02:42 UTC on Wednesday, December 22.
At that moment, the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.
The table below shows the start of winter 2027 in each US time zone and four international cities.
Rows marked with an asterisk fall on Wednesday, December 22, rather than Tuesday, December 21.
| Time zone | Local date | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| UTC | Wednesday, December 22, 2027* | 2:42 a.m. |
| Eastern (EST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 9:42 p.m. |
| Central (CST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 8:42 p.m. |
| Mountain (MST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 7:42 p.m. |
| Pacific (PST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 6:42 p.m. |
| Alaska (AKST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 5:42 p.m. |
| Hawaii (HST) | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 4:42 p.m. |
| London (GMT) | Wednesday, December 22, 2027* | 2:42 a.m. |
| Tokyo (JST) | Wednesday, December 22, 2027* | 11:42 a.m. |
| Sydney (AEDT) | Wednesday, December 22, 2027* | 1:42 p.m. |
In December, Arizona and the Mountain time zone share the same clock time because every state is on standard time.
When does meteorological winter 2027 start?
Meteorological winter 2027–2028 starts on Wednesday, December 1, 2027, and ends on Tuesday, February 29, 2028. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), part of NOAA, defines meteorological winter as December, January, and February.
Forecasters group seasons by whole months because astronomical seasons vary between 89 and 93 days, which makes year-to-year climate comparisons difficult. Meteorological winter lasts 90 days in a normal year and 91 days when February has 29 days, as it does in 2028.
When does winter 2027–2028 end?
Winter 2027–2028 ends at the March equinox on Sunday, March 19, 2028, at 10:17 p.m. EDT, which is 02:17 UTC on Monday, March 20, 2028.
Astronomical winter 2027–2028 lasts 88 days, 23 hours, and 35 minutes.
The end of winter splits by time zone the same way the start does. Every US time zone reaches spring on Sunday evening, March 19, 2028, while the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia reach it on Monday, March 20.
| Time zone | Local date | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| UTC | Monday, March 20, 2028* | 2:17 a.m. |
| Eastern (EDT) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 10:17 p.m. |
| Central (CDT) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 9:17 p.m. |
| Mountain (MDT) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 8:17 p.m. |
| Arizona (MST) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 7:17 p.m. |
| Pacific (PDT) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 7:17 p.m. |
| Alaska (AKDT) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 6:17 p.m. |
| Hawaii (HST) | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 4:17 p.m. |
| London (GMT) | Monday, March 20, 2028* | 2:17 a.m. |
| Sydney (AEDT) | Monday, March 20, 2028* | 1:17 p.m. |
Clocks move forward for daylight saving time on Sunday, March 12, 2028, so the end of winter is listed in daylight time for most US zones. Meteorological winter ends earlier, on Tuesday, February 29, 2028, and meteorological spring begins on Wednesday, March 1, 2028.
Winter 2026–2027: the winter before
The winter that runs into 2027 starts on Monday, December 21, 2026, at 3:50 p.m. EST and ends on Saturday, March 20, 2027, at 4:24 p.m. EDT. Searches for “winter 2027” often mean this season, because January and February 2027 fall inside it.
The table compares the two winters that touch the year 2027.
| Attribute | Winter 2026–2027 | Winter 2027–2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Astronomical start (ET) | Monday, December 21, 2026, 3:50 p.m. | Tuesday, December 21, 2027, 9:42 p.m. |
| Astronomical end (ET) | Saturday, March 20, 2027, 4:24 p.m. | Sunday, March 19, 2028, 10:17 p.m. |
| Astronomical length | 88 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes | 88 days, 23 hours, 35 minutes |
| Meteorological start | Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | Wednesday, December 1, 2027 |
| Meteorological end | Sunday, February 28, 2027 | Tuesday, February 29, 2028 |
| Meteorological length | 90 days | 91 days (leap year) |
| Daylight saving time begins | Sunday, March 14, 2027 | Sunday, March 12, 2028 |
Both winters start on December 21 in US time zones. Winter 2026–2027 starts at 20:50 UTC, so it begins on December 21 in the Americas, Europe, and Africa and on December 22 in East Asia and Australia. Winter 2027–2028 starts at 02:42 UTC, so only the Americas and the Pacific see it begin on December 21.
Winter start and end dates, 2027 to 2031
In US Eastern Time, winter starts on December 21 in every year from 2027 to 2031. The solstice moves about 5 hours and 50 minutes later each year, then jumps back almost a full calendar day after each leap day.
The table lists the start and end of astronomical winter for five seasons, calculated with Astronomy Engine. Independent sources may differ by one minute because of rounding.
| Winter | Starts (UTC) | Starts (ET) | Ends (UTC) | Ends (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027–2028 | Wed, Dec 22, 2027, 02:42 | Tue, Dec 21, 9:42 p.m. | Mon, Mar 20, 2028, 02:17 | Sun, Mar 19, 10:17 p.m. |
| 2028–2029 | Thu, Dec 21, 2028, 08:20 | Thu, Dec 21, 3:20 a.m. | Tue, Mar 20, 2029, 08:01 | Tue, Mar 20, 4:01 a.m. |
| 2029–2030 | Fri, Dec 21, 2029, 14:14 | Fri, Dec 21, 9:14 a.m. | Wed, Mar 20, 2030, 13:51 | Wed, Mar 20, 9:51 a.m. |
| 2030–2031 | Sat, Dec 21, 2030, 20:09 | Sat, Dec 21, 3:09 p.m. | Thu, Mar 20, 2031, 19:40 | Thu, Mar 20, 3:40 p.m. |
| 2031–2032 | Mon, Dec 22, 2031, 01:55 | Sun, Dec 21, 8:55 p.m. | Sat, Mar 20, 2032, 01:21 | Fri, Mar 19, 9:21 p.m. |
Winter 2027–2028 and winter 2031–2032 both end on March 19 in the United States. Both springs follow a leap day, which pulls the March equinox about a day earlier on the calendar.
Astronomical winter vs. meteorological winter in 2027
The two definitions of winter 2027–2028 start 20 days apart and end 19 days apart. Astronomical winter follows Earth’s position relative to the Sun. Meteorological winter follows the calendar and the temperature cycle.
| Attribute | Astronomical winter 2027–2028 | Meteorological winter 2027–2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 (ET) | Wednesday, December 1, 2027 |
| Ends | Sunday, March 19, 2028 (ET) | Tuesday, February 29, 2028 |
| Length | 88 days, 23 hours, 35 minutes | 91 days |
| Basis | Sun at its southernmost point | Three whole calendar months |
| Used by | Astronomers, calendars, most media | NOAA, the UK Met Office, climate records |
| Next season begins | March equinox, March 19 or 20, 2028 | Wednesday, March 1, 2028 |
Neither definition is the official one for the United States. No federal law sets the start of winter. Calendars and news outlets usually use the solstice, while weather services use December 1.
Why winter is the shortest season
Astronomical winter is the shortest of the four seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, at just under 89 days. Earth’s orbit is an ellipse, and Earth moves fastest near perihelion, its closest point to the Sun. During winter 2027–2028, perihelion falls on Wednesday, January 5, 2028, at 12:45 UTC.
Because Earth is moving at its fastest during these months, it crosses the winter quarter of its orbit in about 88 days and 23.6 hours, roughly four and a half days less than summer.
Earth is closest to the Sun in the middle of Northern Hemisphere winter; the cold comes from the low angle of sunlight and the short days, not from distance.
When is the coldest part of winter?
The coldest day of the year usually comes after the winter solstice, not on it. According to NCEI’s analysis of the 1991–2020 US Climate Normals, most of the United States west of the Continental Divide reaches its coldest day on average in December, while most of the East reaches it in January.
Alaska’s coldest day normals also fall in January, and Hawaii and Puerto Rico can have their coldest normal days in February or early March.
This delay is called seasonal lag. Land and oceans keep releasing stored summer heat for weeks after the Sun reaches its lowest point, so temperatures keep falling after the days start getting longer.
NCEI also found that across much of the eastern US, the coldest day has shifted 3 to 6 days later compared with the 1981–2010 normals.
Shortest day, earliest sunset, and latest sunrise
The shortest day of 2027 in the Northern Hemisphere is Tuesday, December 21, 2027, but the earliest sunset comes weeks before it, and the latest sunrise comes weeks after.
Earth’s tilted axis and its elliptical orbit combine to shift solar noon later through December and early January. That offset moves sunset and sunrise times unevenly around the solstice.
The table shows the solstice daylight, earliest sunset, latest sunrise, and daylight gained by the end of winter for five US cities. Values were calculated with Astronomy Engine.
| City | Daylight on Tue, Dec 21, 2027 | Earliest sunset | Latest sunrise | Daylight on Sun, Mar 19, 2028 | Daylight gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 10 h 32 m | Monday, November 29, 2027 (5:29 p.m) | Thursday, January 13, 2028 (7:09 a.m) | 12 h 07 m | 1 h 35 m |
| New York City | 9 h 15 m | Wednesday, December 8, 2027 (4:28 p.m) | Tuesday, January 4, 2028 (7:20 a.m) | 12 h 08 m | 2 h 52 m |
| Chicago | 9 h 08 m | Wednesday, December 8, 2027 (4:19 p.m) | Tuesday, January 4, 2028 (7:18 a.m) | 12 h 08 m | 3 h 00 m |
| Seattle | 8 h 26 m | Saturday, December 11, 2027 (4:17 p.m) | Saturday, January 1, 2028 (7:57 a.m) | 12 h 09 m | 3 h 43 m |
| Anchorage | 5 h 27 m | Thursday, December 16, 2027 (3:40 p.m) | Sunday, December 26, 2027 (10:15 a.m) | 12 h 13 m | 6 h 46 m |
The gap between the earliest sunset and the latest sunrise shrinks as latitude increases. In Miami, the two dates are more than six weeks apart; in Anchorage, they are 10 days apart.
Sunset times rounded to the minute can hold steady for several days, so the listed date is the day of the absolute minimum.
What are the winter months?
The winter months in the Northern Hemisphere are December, January, and February under the meteorological definition. Under the astronomical definition, winter 2027–2028 covers the last 11 days of December, all of January and February, and the first 19 days of March in US time zones.
In the Southern Hemisphere, winter is June, July, and August. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology starts winter on June 1 because that date fits Australian temperature patterns better than the June solstice. In 2027, Australian winter runs from Tuesday, June 1, to Tuesday, August 31, 2027.
When does winter 2027 start in the UK and other countries?
Under the astronomical definition, winter 2027 in the UK starts on Wednesday, December 22, 2027, at 2:42 a.m. GMT, and under the meteorological definition, it starts on Wednesday, December 1, 2027.
The Met Office uses meteorological seasons for its seasonal statistics and climate summaries, which place UK winter from December 1 to the end of February.
The table compares when winter 2027 begins under the definitions used by national weather services and astronomers.
| Country or region | Hemisphere | Winter 2027 starts | Definition in common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Northern | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | Astronomical in calendars; meteorological at NOAA |
| United Kingdom | Northern | Wednesday, December 22, 2027, or December 1 | Meteorological at the Met Office |
| Australia | Southern | Tuesday, June 1, 2027 | Meteorological at the Bureau of Meteorology |
| Southern Hemisphere, astronomical | Southern | Monday, June 21, 2027 (UTC) | June solstice |
In the Southern Hemisphere, the June solstice marks the start of astronomical winter. In 2027, it occurs on Monday, June 21, 2027, at 14:10 UTC, which is 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, 2027, in Sydney. Southern Hemisphere winter 2027 therefore ends before Northern Hemisphere winter 2027 begins.
Key winter 2027–2028 dates
Hanukkah 2027 begins at sundown on Friday, December 24, 2027, so the first full day of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day. Hebcal lists Hanukkah 2027 from sundown on December 24, 2027, to nightfall on Saturday, January 1, 2028.
The table lists the holidays, full moons, and seasonal markers from the start of meteorological winter to the March equinox.
| Event | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Meteorological winter begins | Wednesday, December 1, 2027 | NOAA and Met Office definition |
| Cold Moon | Monday, December 13, 2027 | 11:09 a.m. EST, last full moon of fall |
| Winter solstice | Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | 9:42 p.m. EST |
| Hanukkah begins | Friday, December 24, 2027 | At sundown |
| Christmas Day | Saturday, December 25, 2027 | Federal holiday observed Friday, December 24, 2027 |
| New Year’s Day | Saturday, January 1, 2028 | Federal holiday observed Friday, December 31, 2027; Hanukkah ends at nightfall |
| Perihelion | Wednesday, January 5, 2028 | Earth closest to the Sun, 12:45 UTC |
| Wolf Moon | Tuesday, January 11, 2028 | 11:03 p.m. EST |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 17, 2028 | Third Monday of January |
| Lunar New Year | Wednesday, January 26, 2028 | Year of the Monkey begins |
| Groundhog Day | Wednesday, February 2, 2028 | Fixed date |
| Snow Moon | Thursday, February 10, 2028 | 10:04 a.m. EST |
| Valentine’s Day | Monday, February 14, 2028 | Fixed date |
| Presidents’ Day | Monday, February 21, 2028 | Third Monday of February |
| Leap Day | Tuesday, February 29, 2028 | Last day of meteorological winter |
| Ash Wednesday | Wednesday, March 1, 2028 | Easter 2028 is Sunday, April 16 |
| Worm Moon | Friday, March 10, 2028 | 8:06 p.m. EST |
| Daylight saving time begins | Sunday, March 12, 2028 | Clocks go forward one hour |
| St. Patrick’s Day | Friday, March 17, 2028 | Fixed date |
| March equinox | Sunday, March 19, 2028 | 10:17 p.m. EDT, end of winter |
The Smithsonian Institution confirms that the Lunar New Year begins on January 26, 2028, opening the 15-day Spring Festival. Winter 2027–2028 contains three full moons, in January, February, and March; the December 13 Cold Moon falls before the solstice.
Because Christmas and New Year’s Day 2027–2028 both fall on Saturdays, federal employees observe them on the preceding Fridays under OPM’s holiday rules.
What winter 2027 is not
Winter 2027 is not the season that contains January and February 2027. That season is winter 2026–2027, which starts on Monday, December 21, 2026.
The first day of winter is also not the coldest day of the year, which arrives on average in December in the West and in January in the East.
The shortest day is not the day with the earliest sunset or the latest sunrise either. Finally, “winter” on this page refers to the season.
It does not cover winter break, which is a school holiday set by individual colleges and districts, or winter weather forecasts, which depend on regional conditions rather than the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first day of winter 2027?
The first day of winter 2027 is Tuesday, December 21, 2027, in every US time zone, when the solstice occurs at 9:42 p.m. EST. In the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia, winter 2027 starts on Wednesday, December 22, because the solstice occurs at 02:42 UTC.
Is December 1 the first day of winter?
December 1 is the first day of meteorological winter, used by NOAA and the UK Met Office for climate records. In 2027, it falls on a Wednesday. Astronomical winter 2027 starts later, on Tuesday, December 21, 2027, at the solstice. Both answers are correct under their own definitions.
When does winter end in 2028?
Astronomical winter 2027–2028 ends at the March equinox on Sunday, March 19, 2028, at 10:17 p.m. EDT, which is Monday, March 20, in UTC. Meteorological winter ends earlier, on Tuesday, February 29, 2028, because 2028 is a leap year. Meteorological spring then starts on Wednesday, March 1, 2028.
How long is winter 2027–2028?
Astronomical winter 2027–2028 lasts 88 days, 23 hours, and 35 minutes, making it the shortest season of the year. Meteorological winter 2027–2028 lasts 91 days, one day longer than usual, because February 2028 has 29 days. Earth passes perihelion on January 5, 2028, during this winter.
When is the shortest day of 2027?
The shortest day of 2027 in the Northern Hemisphere is Tuesday, December 21, 2027, the date of the winter solstice. New York City gets 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight that day. In the Southern Hemisphere, the shortest day comes at the June solstice, which falls on Tuesday, June 22, 2027, Sydney time.
When is winter in Australia in 2027?
Winter in Australia in 2027 runs from Tuesday, June 1, to Tuesday, August 31, 2027, under the Bureau of Meteorology’s definition. Astronomical winter begins at the June solstice, at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, 2027, Sydney time. The seasons are reversed because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere.
Is Earth closer to the Sun in winter?
Yes. Earth is closest to the Sun during Northern Hemisphere winter, at perihelion on Wednesday, January 5, 2028. Winter is cold because the Sun sits low in the sky and the days are short, which spreads sunlight thinly across the surface. Distance from the Sun has little effect on the seasons.
Sources:
- CalendarDate.com – Winter 2027
- NCEI – Meteorological Versus Astronomical Seasons
- NCEI – When to Expect the Coldest Day of the Year
- Hebcal – Chanukah 2027
- Smithsonian – 2028: Year of the Monkey
- Bureau of Meteorology – Solstices, equinoxes and the seasons
- Met Office – When does autumn start?
- OPM – Federal Holidays
