Summer dates
| Day | Date |
|---|---|
| Meteorological summer (north) | 1 June to 31 August |
| Astronomical summer starts (north) | June solstice, 20 or 21 June |
| Summer starts (south) | December solstice, 21 or 22 December |
| Year | June solstice (UTC) | December solstice (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21 June, 08:24 | 21 December, 20:50 |
| 2027 | 21 June, 14:11 | 22 December, 02:42 |
| 2028 | 20 June, 20:02 | 21 December, 08:19 |
| 2029 | 21 June, 01:48 | 21 December, 14:14 |
| 2030 | 21 June, 07:31 | 21 December, 20:09 |
Times from the US Naval Observatory, read 10 November 2026. In time zones west of UTC the June solstice can fall on 20 June local time (for example 2028 in the Americas).
Questions and answers
Is the first day of summer 1 June or 21 June?
Both are used. Weather services use meteorological summer, 1 June to 31 August, so seasons line up with whole months for records. Astronomical summer starts at the June solstice, on 20 or 21 June, when the Sun is furthest north. This countdown uses the solstice.
Is the solstice the longest day?
Yes, north of the equator the June solstice day has the most daylight of the year. South of the equator it is the shortest day, and summer starts at the December solstice.
Which time zone does the countdown use?
Yours. The solstice is one moment for the whole world; the countdown shows it in the time zone set on your device, so the date can be 20 June in the Americas and 21 June elsewhere.
What do the blocks show?
Time left, as blocks. Up to 31 days away, 1 block is 1 day; up to 26 weeks away, 1 block is 1 week; further away, 1 block is 1 month.