When Is Winter Solstice 2026?

Winter Solstice 2026 falls on Monday, December 21, 2026 — 113 days from now. Live countdown, dates through 2030, and how the date is set.

The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest arc in the sky. In each polar region, there is continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice, which happens at the same time in the opposite hemisphere. The December solstice — the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere — falls on December 21 or 22.

Winter Solstice falls on Monday, December 21, 2026. The countdown above updates live, so you always see exactly how many days, hours, and minutes are left.