How Many Days Until Winter?
The countdown above updates live, counting down to the first day of winter — the shortest day of the year and the start of the season of snow, holidays, and long cozy evenings. Pick a background you love, save it, or send it to someone who’s counting down right alongside you.
When is the first day of winter?
The first day of winter — the winter solstice — falls on Monday, December 21, 2026 (3:50 PM Eastern Time). Here’s when it lands in the coming years:
- 2026 — Monday, December 21
- 2027 — Tuesday, December 21
- 2028 — Thursday, December 21
Why does the first day of winter change each year?
Winter begins at the winter solstice — the moment the North Pole is tilted farthest from the sun, giving the Northern Hemisphere its shortest day and longest night. Like the other seasons, it’s an astronomical event rather than a fixed date, so it shifts between December 21 and 22 from year to year. Our countdown tracks that exact moment.
If you’ve seen winter described as starting on December 1, that’s meteorological winter, which weather services use for record-keeping. The countdown here follows the true astronomical solstice.
A countdown for the whole season
- Counting down to winter break, the holidays, and time off
- The first snowfall, ski season, or a winter getaway
- Cozy season: fires, hot drinks, and slow mornings
- Sharing or embedding the countdown anywhere you like
More countdowns
Winter runs right into the new year — see the New Year countdown and the Christmas countdown. Looking further ahead, here’s the Spring countdown, or build your own for any date.