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About the spring countdown
How many days until spring? This page shows it live: days, hours, minutes and seconds until the first day of spring, on the clock of your own device. In 2027, spring begins on Saturday, March 20, at 4:24 pm New York time.
The countdown goes to the exact minute of the March equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are about the same length everywhere. You can also count to March 1 (meteorological spring) or, south of the equator, to the September equinox. Once spring has started, the board tells you how many days of spring 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 spring — the March equinox, meteorological spring (March 1) or the Southern Hemisphere (September equinox)
- Days of spring left — during spring, see how many days are left until summer
- Sleeps — how many nights are left, for children who are tired of winter
- Six spring styles — Cherry blossom, Flower meadow, April showers, Fresh garden, Pastel and Minimal, with falling petals
- Dates for three years — the first day of spring this year and the next two
- Full screen and Keep the screen on — for a classroom, an office or a shop window
When is the first day of spring?
There are two common ways to count it:
- Astronomical spring starts on the March equinox — March 19, 20 or 21 — and ends on the June solstice. This is the "first day of spring" that calendars and the news use in the US. It is also called the vernal equinox.
- Meteorological spring is the three months March, April and May. Weather services use it because whole months are easier to compare.
The equinox moves by about six hours each year and jumps back after a leap year. These are the next ones (Eastern Time, New York):
| Year | First day of spring | Time (New York) | Spring ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sat, Mar 20, 2027 | 4:24 pm | Jun 21, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sun, Mar 19, 2028 | 10:17 pm | Jun 20, 2028 |
| 2029 | Tue, Mar 20, 2029 | 4:01 am | Jun 20, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wed, Mar 20, 2030 | 9:51 am | Jun 21, 2030 |
| 2031 | Thu, Mar 20, 2031 | 3:41 pm | Jun 21, 2031 |
| 2032 | Fri, Mar 19, 2032 | 9:22 pm | Jun 20, 2032 |
In some years, like 2028 and 2032, spring starts on March 19 in the US, while it is already March 20 in London. In another time zone the equinox can fall on a different day, and the countdown always uses yours.
Spring in the Southern Hemisphere
In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America the seasons are the other way round. Astronomical spring starts on the September equinox (September 22 or 23) and ends on the December solstice. In Australia, spring is usually counted from September 1. If you open this page in a southern time zone, it starts on the Southern Hemisphere choice.
| Year | First day of spring (south) | Time (Sydney) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Thu, Sep 23, 2027 | 4:01 pm |
| 2028 | Fri, Sep 22, 2028 | 9:45 pm |
| 2029 | Sun, Sep 23, 2029 | 3:37 am |
Six spring styles
- Cherry blossom — pink blossoms on a soft blue sky
- Flower meadow — blue sky, green grass and little flowers
- April showers — a rainy sky with a rainbow
- Fresh garden — light green, like new leaves
- Pastel — soft yellow, pink, lilac and blue
- Minimal — plain and clean, in your page's light or dark colors
Ideas for the countdown
- Classroom — count the sleeps to spring and talk about the equinox and longer days
- Spring break — count down to the break with Countdown to Date
- Gardening — plan what to plant when the frost is over
- Holidays — use the St. Patrick's Day Countdown and the Easter Countdown next to it
- Waiting for summer — once spring starts, the board shows how many days of spring are left
How to use it
- Open the page — the countdown starts by itself
- Pick a style: Cherry blossom, Flower meadow, April showers, Fresh garden, Pastel or Minimal
- Under Count down to, choose the March equinox, meteorological spring (March 1) or the Southern Hemisphere
- Turn the petals 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 spring?
The big numbers at the top of this page show it, live. By default they count to the March equinox, the official first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, in your own time zone.
When is the first day of spring 2027?
The March equinox is on Saturday, March 20, 2027, at 20:24 UTC (4:24 pm in New York, 1:24 pm in Los Angeles). Meteorological spring starts on March 1, 2027.
Is the first day of spring March 1 or March 20?
Both are used. Weather services count spring from March 1 (meteorological spring). Astronomers and most calendars use the March equinox, on March 19, 20 or 21. Pick either one under "Count down to".
Are day and night equal on the equinox?
Almost. On the equinox the sun is right above the equator, so day and night are close to 12 hours each. Because sunlight bends in the air, the day is a few minutes longer than the night on that date.
How many days of winter are left?
Until the countdown reaches zero, that is the time of winter left. The board counts every day, hour and minute to the end of winter and the start of spring.
When does spring start in Australia?
In the Southern Hemisphere, astronomical spring starts on the September equinox (September 22 or 23). Australia usually counts spring from September 1.
Related tools
- Summer Countdown — days until the first day of summer
- Winter Countdown — days until the first day of winter
- Fall Countdown — days until the first day of fall
- Easter Countdown — days until Easter Sunday
- St. Patrick's Day Countdown — days until March 17
- Countdown to Date — count down to spring break or any day
