DayReckon

How many days until the first day of spring?

Astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere starts at the March equinox, when the Sun crosses the equator heading north. Here is the countdown to that day, with the exact time for each year.

The first day of spring is on Saturday, March 20, 2027.

Astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere begins at the March equinox, on March 19, 20 or 21 depending on the year and your time zone.

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The first day of spring dates for the coming years

EventDate (US Eastern)WeekdayExact moment
March equinox 2027March 20, 2027SaturdayMarch 20, 2027, 20:25 UTC
March equinox 2028March 19, 2028SundayMarch 20, 2028, 02:17 UTC
March equinox 2029March 20, 2029TuesdayMarch 20, 2029, 08:02 UTC
March equinox 2030March 20, 2030WednesdayMarch 20, 2030, 13:52 UTC
March equinox 2031March 20, 2031ThursdayMarch 20, 2031, 19:41 UTC
March equinox 2032March 19, 2032FridayMarch 20, 2032, 01:22 UTC
March equinox 2033March 20, 2033SundayMarch 20, 2033, 07:23 UTC

The March equinox

At the equinox the Sun is directly above the equator, and day and night are close to equal length all over the world. From then until the September equinox, the Northern Hemisphere gets more than 12 hours of daylight a day. The exact moment is the same everywhere, but the date depends on your time zone, so it can be March 19, 20 or 21. The dates in the table are for US Eastern time; the “Exact moment” column gives the time in UTC.

Spring and the clocks

In the US and Canada, clocks go forward an hour on the second Sunday of March, a week or more before the equinox. The UK and the European Union change their clocks on the last Sunday of March, just after it.

Astronomical and meteorological spring

Meteorological spring follows whole months, March, April and May, so it starts on March 1. In the Southern Hemisphere the March equinox marks the start of autumn.

Questions people ask

Are day and night exactly equal on the equinox?

Almost. Because sunrise and sunset are measured from the top edge of the Sun, and the atmosphere bends light, day is a few minutes longer than night on the equinox. The day of truly equal day and night comes a few days earlier.

Why is the first day of spring not always March 21?

The equinox moves about six hours later each year and jumps back after each leap day. In the years ahead it falls on March 19 or 20 in the Americas, and on March 20 or 21 further east.

When does spring end?

At the June solstice, around June 21. See the countdown to summer.

Related questions

Reviewed October 24, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.