As the summer heat lingers, we yearn for the first day of fall—the arrival of sweater weather and fall movie nights spent cozied up under blankets. We can't wait to break out our best pumpkin recipes , to go apple picking, or, perhaps, to take a long weekend to enjoy one of the best small towns for leaf peeping .

But when is the first day of fall, and how is it determined? Cooler weather and changing leaves aside, astronomy—the autumn equinox, to be specific—tells us when summer ends and the official first day of fall arrives.

When is the first day of fall 2025?

The first day of fall is Monday, September 22, 2025—the same day as the autumn equinox—in the Northern Hemisphere. The date varies slightly year to year, but it is usually September 22 or 23. On rare occasions, it can fall o

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