Summer starts on two different dates. Meteorologists count whole months and start on 1 June in the north. Astronomers wait for the solstice, around 21 June.
Pick the date you mean and the hemisphere, and see how long is left.
How to use the Summer Countdown#
- Check the date. Meteorological summer starts on 1 June in the north and 1 December in the south.
- Choose what to count to. Choose between Northern summer, 1 June (meteorological), Northern summer, June solstice (about 21 June), Southern summer, 1 December (meteorological) or Southern summer, December solstice (about 21 December).
- Plan around it. The weekday and the weeks left are listed, so you can see at once how it fits your week.
Two ways to start summer#
Meteorological summer runs for three full calendar months, June to August in the Northern Hemisphere and December to February in the Southern Hemisphere. It makes weather records easier to compare. Astronomical summer begins at the solstice, when one pole of the Earth is tilted furthest towards the Sun. The June solstice usually lands on 20 or 21 June and the December one on 21 or 22 December. The countdown here uses the 21st for both, so it can be a day out in some years.
What about Nigeria and the tropics#
Near the equator the seasons aren’t summer and winter. Nigeria has a dry season and a rainy season, with the Harmattan in the dry months. The summer countdown is still useful for school holidays, travel and weather abroad. Many people in the tropics use it to plan trips to the northern summer.
When is Summer in the next few years?#
Meteorological summer starts on 1 June in the north and 1 December in the south. Astronomical summer starts at the solstice, around 21 June and 21 December, which can land a day either side depending on the year.
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| Northern summer, 1 June (meteorological) | ||
| 2027 | 1 June | Tuesday |
| 2028 | 1 June | Thursday |
| 2029 | 1 June | Friday |
| 2030 | 1 June | Saturday |
| 2031 | 1 June | Sunday |
| Northern summer, June solstice (about 21 June) | ||
| 2027 | 21 June | Monday |
| 2028 | 21 June | Wednesday |
| 2029 | 21 June | Thursday |
| 2030 | 21 June | Friday |
| 2031 | 21 June | Saturday |
| Southern summer, 1 December (meteorological) | ||
| 2026 | 1 December | Tuesday |
| 2027 | 1 December | Wednesday |
| 2028 | 1 December | Friday |
| 2029 | 1 December | Saturday |
| 2030 | 1 December | Sunday |
| Southern summer, December solstice (about 21 December) | ||
| 2026 | 21 December | Monday |
| 2027 | 21 December | Tuesday |
| 2028 | 21 December | Thursday |
| 2029 | 21 December | Friday |
| 2030 | 21 December | Saturday |
What the solstice really is#
The seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis, about 23.4 degrees, not by its distance from the Sun. In fact, the Earth is closest to the Sun in early January, in the middle of the northern winter. At the June solstice the northern hemisphere leans most toward the Sun, and days are longest. At a latitude like London’s, daylight lasts about 16 hours and 40 minutes. Above the Arctic Circle, the Sun does not set at all.
The hottest weather arrives some weeks after the solstice, because the land and sea keep absorbing more heat than they lose.
Near the equator#
At the latitude of Lagos, about 6.5 degrees north, the longest and shortest days differ by only about an hour. That is why people there talk about wet and dry seasons instead. Lagos has a long rainy season from April to October with a short dip in August, and a dry season from November to March, in which the Harmattan wind brings dust from the Sahara between December and February.
The June solstice in 2027 falls on Mon 21 June 2027, a date useful for travel planning if you are heading to Europe or North America.
Planning for the northern summer#
| When | What to do | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 12 weeks out | Check passports, visas and school terms | Thu 8 April 2027 |
| 8 weeks out | Book flights and accommodation | Thu 6 May 2027 |
| 2 weeks out | Check vaccines, insurance and money | Thu 17 June 2027 |
The dates in the table run back from 1 July 2027, which is a sensible target for the start of the holiday season in Europe and North America. Prices and crowds peak in July and August.
Frequently asked questions#
In the north, 1 June by the meteorological calendar and about 21 June by the astronomical one. In the south, 1 December and about 21 December.
The Earth’s orbit doesn’t match the calendar exactly, so the solstice moves by a day or so each year.
Not in the temperate sense. It has a rainy season and a dry season.
Both are right, depending on the definition. Meteorologists use whole months, so northern summer is June to August, and starts on 1 June. Astronomers use the solstice, which falls on 20 or 21 June. The countdown lets you choose the one you want, and in the southern hemisphere the dates are 1 December and the December solstice.
Nigeria has no summer in the European sense. The year is split into a rainy season and a dry season, and the exact timing varies from the south to the north. In the south the rains run roughly from March or April to October, with a dry spell in August. The north has a shorter rainy season, and the Harmattan arrives from December to February.