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First Day of Winter 2026

When winter begins, to the minute in Eastern Time, with every year through 2035.

In short

Winter 2026 begins on Monday, December 21, 2026, at 3:50 PM EST, with the December solstice (winter solstice). It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Meteorological winter starts on December 1.

First day of winter, 2026 to 2035

YearDateTime (ET)
2026Mon, Dec 213:50 PM EST
2027Tue, Dec 219:42 PM EST
2028Thu, Dec 213:19 AM EST
2029Fri, Dec 219:14 AM EST
2030Sat, Dec 213:09 PM EST
2031Sun, Dec 218:55 PM EST
2032Tue, Dec 212:56 AM EST
2033Wed, Dec 218:46 AM EST
2034Thu, Dec 212:34 PM EST
2035Fri, Dec 218:31 PM EST

All seasons 2026

  • Spring: Friday, March 20, 2026, 10:46 AM EDT (March equinox (spring equinox))
  • Summer: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 4:24 AM EDT (June solstice (summer solstice))
  • Fall: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 8:05 PM EDT (September equinox (fall equinox))
  • Winter: Monday, December 21, 2026, 3:50 PM EST (December solstice (winter solstice))

Questions

Is the first day of winter always on the same date?

In Eastern Time, yes: it is December 21 in every year from 2026 to 2035. The time shifts by about six hours from year to year, so in other time zones it can fall on a different day.

What time zone are the times in?

Eastern Time (EST or EDT). For Central Time subtract one hour, for Mountain two, for Pacific three. Late in the evening the date can be a day earlier out west.

What is the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons?

Astronomical seasons start at the equinoxes and solstices. Meteorologists use whole months: winter from December 1 for three months.

Source: U.S. Naval Observatory: Astronomical Applications · Updated: November 2026 · How the calendars are made

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