How Many Days Until Fall?

The countdown above updates live, showing exactly how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds are left until the first day of fall — the crisp mornings, changing leaves, and cozy season so many of us wait for all year. You can change the background and style, save it, or share it with a friend who’s just as ready for autumn.

When is the first day of fall?

The first day of fall — the autumn equinox — falls on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 (8:06 PM Eastern Time). Here are the next few years so you can plan ahead:

• 2026 — Tuesday, September 22
• 2027 — Thursday, September 23
• 2028 — Friday, September 22

Why does the first day of fall change each year?

Fall doesn’t start on a fixed calendar date the way a birthday does. It begins at the autumn equinox — the exact moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and day and night are almost equal in length. Because Earth takes about 365¼ days to circle the sun, that moment drifts slightly each year, landing on either September 22 or 23. That’s why our countdown tracks the precise equinox rather than a fixed day.

One note: this is astronomical fall. You may also hear about meteorological fall, which weather services always start on September 1 to make season-to-season comparisons easier.

Ways to use a fall countdown

• Counting down to sweater weather, pumpkin spice, and the first cool morning
• Getting a head start on Halloween and Thanksgiving plans
• Marking the shift from summer into the school-year routine
• Sharing the countdown or embedding it on a blog or classroom page

More countdowns

Not quite ready to let go of summer? Try our Summer countdown. Already dreaming of snow? Here’s the Winter countdown. You can also build a countdown for any date that matters to you.