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About the fall countdown
How many days until fall? This page shows it live: days, hours, minutes and seconds until the first day of fall, on the clock of your own device. In 2027, fall begins on Thursday, September 23, at 2:01 am New York time.
It counts to the exact minute of the September equinox (the autumnal equinox), when the sun crosses the equator going south and day and night are about the same length. You can also count to September 1 (meteorological fall) or, south of the equator, to the March equinox. Once fall has started, the board tells you how many days of fall are left.
Features
- Live countdown — days, hours, minutes and seconds, updated every second
- To the exact equinox minute — worked out with astronomical formulas, shown in your own time zone
- Three kinds of fall — the September equinox, meteorological fall (September 1) or the Southern Hemisphere (March equinox)
- Days of fall left — during fall, see how many days are left until winter
- Sleeps — how many nights are left, for everyone who loves sweater weather
- Six autumn styles — Maple red, Pumpkin spice, Autumn forest, Golden harvest, Sweater weather and Minimal, with falling leaves
- Dates for three years — the first day of fall this year and the next two
- Full screen and Keep the screen on — for a classroom, a café or a shop window
When is the first day of fall?
"Fall" and "autumn" are the same season — Americans mostly say fall, the British say autumn. There are two common ways to count it:
- Astronomical fall starts on the September equinox — September 22 or 23 — and ends on the December solstice. This is the "first day of fall" that calendars and the news use in the US.
- Meteorological fall is the three months September, October and November. Weather services use it because whole months are easier to compare.
These are the next September equinoxes (Eastern Time, New York):
| Year | First day of fall | Time (New York) | Fall ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Thu, Sep 23, 2027 | 2:01 am | Dec 21, 2027 |
| 2028 | Fri, Sep 22, 2028 | 7:45 am | Dec 21, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sat, Sep 22, 2029 | 1:37 pm | Dec 21, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sun, Sep 22, 2030 | 7:27 pm | Dec 21, 2030 |
| 2031 | Tue, Sep 23, 2031 | 1:15 am | Dec 21, 2031 |
| 2032 | Wed, Sep 22, 2032 | 7:10 am | Dec 21, 2032 |
In another time zone the equinox can fall on a different day: in 2030 it is still September 22 in New York but already September 23 in London. The countdown always uses your own time zone.
Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere
In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America, autumn comes in March. Astronomical autumn starts on the March equinox (March 20 or 21) and ends on the June solstice. In Australia, autumn is usually counted from March 1. If you open this page in a southern time zone, it starts on the Southern Hemisphere choice.
| Year | First day of autumn (south) | Time (Sydney) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sun, Mar 21, 2027 | 7:24 am |
| 2028 | Mon, Mar 20, 2028 | 1:17 pm |
| 2029 | Tue, Mar 20, 2029 | 7:01 pm |
Six autumn styles
- Maple red — deep red and orange, like maple leaves
- Pumpkin spice — warm orange and cream
- Autumn forest — dark green trees turning gold
- Golden harvest — wheat fields in the late sun
- Sweater weather — a cozy knit pattern
- Minimal — plain and clean, in your page's light or dark colors
Ideas for the countdown
- Classroom — count down to fall and talk about the equinox and shorter days
- Back to school — count down to the first day with Countdown to Date
- Fall fun — plan apple picking, pumpkin patches and leaf walks
- Holidays — use the Halloween Countdown and the Thanksgiving Countdown next to it
- Waiting for winter — once fall starts, the board shows how many days of fall are left
How to use it
- Open the page — the countdown starts by itself
- Pick a style: Maple red, Pumpkin spice, Autumn forest, Golden harvest, Sweater weather or Minimal
- Under Count down to, choose the September equinox, meteorological fall (September 1) or the Southern Hemisphere
- Turn the leaves and the sound on or off
- Press Full screen to show it on a big screen; press Esc to go back
Frequently asked questions
How many days until fall?
The big numbers at the top of this page show it, live. By default they count to the September equinox, the official first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere, in your own time zone.
When is the first day of fall 2027?
The September equinox is on Thursday, September 23, 2027, at 06:01 UTC (2:01 am in New York). On the West Coast it is still Wednesday, September 22, at 11:01 pm. Meteorological fall starts on September 1, 2027.
Is the first day of fall September 1 or September 22?
Both are used. Weather services count fall from September 1 (meteorological fall). Astronomers and most calendars use the September equinox, on September 22 or 23. Pick either one under "Count down to".
Is it fall or autumn?
Both words are right and mean the same season. "Fall" is more common in the US and Canada; "autumn" is more common in the UK, Australia and in formal writing.
How many days of summer are left?
Until this countdown reaches zero, that is the time of summer left. The board counts every day, hour and minute to the end of summer and the start of fall.
When does autumn start in Australia?
In the Southern Hemisphere, astronomical autumn starts on the March equinox (March 20 or 21). Australia usually counts autumn from March 1.
Related tools
- Halloween Countdown — days until October 31
- Thanksgiving Countdown — days until Thanksgiving
- Winter Countdown — days until the first day of winter
- Summer Countdown — days until the first day of summer
- Spring Countdown — days until the first day of spring
- Countdown to Date — count down to back to school or any day
