We are currently sitting in the middle of January. It’s cold. Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026, and if you are like most people in the Northern Hemisphere, you’re probably already staring at your calendar wondering how many days until May. You want the sun. You want the smell of cut grass and the end of those bulky winter coats that make everyone look like a marshmallow.
Right now, there are 105 days left until May 1 begins.
That might feel like a lifetime if you're scraping ice off a windshield every morning, but it’s actually just about three and a half months. It’s the home stretch. We have to get through the rest of January, the entirety of February, and the long, teasing stretch of March and April before the real warmth hits.
Breaking Down the Wait
Calculating how many days until May isn't just about a single number; it's about the mental hurdles of the months in between. We have 16 days left in January. Then we hit February. 2026 isn't a leap year, so we only have 28 days to deal with in February—a small mercy. March gives us 31 days of "is it spring yet?" followed by 30 days of April showers.
16 (January) + 28 (February) + 31 (March) + 30 (April) = 105 days.
It’s weird how time works. Some years, the wait for May feels like a sprint. Other years, usually when the polar vortex decides to park itself over your house, those 105 days feel like a geological era.
Why We’re Programmed to Count Down
There is actual science behind why you're searching for how many days until May in the dead of winter. It isn't just because you're bored. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a very real thing, and according to the American Psychiatric Association, it affects about 5% of adults in the U.S. for about 40% of the year. When the light is low, our serotonin drops. We start looking for an exit strategy. May is that exit strategy.
Psychologically, humans are "anticipatory creatures." We find more joy in the anticipation of a positive event than sometimes the event itself. Researchers like Amit Kumar at the University of Texas have looked into this "waiting for goodness" phenomenon. When you track how many days until May, you are essentially micro-dosing dopamine. You're giving your brain a light at the end of the tunnel.
The May Milestones We’re Actually Chasing
May isn't just a month. It’s a vibe. It’s the start of "real" life for a lot of people.
Think about what happens once those 105 days are up. You've got Kentucky Derby season, which is basically the unofficial start of outdoor party culture. You've got Mother's Day. You've got the lead-up to Memorial Day weekend—the holy grail of the American summer kickoff.
But it’s also about the garden. If you’re into planting, May is the "Last Frost" threshold for a huge chunk of the country. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, May is when the soil finally hits that magic temperature where things actually grow instead of just sitting there shivering. Gardeners are probably the most aggressive group of people searching for how many days until May. They’ve got seedlings under purple lights in their basements right now, just waiting for the dirt to wake up.
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Weather Realities: Is May Actually Warm?
Here is the part people get wrong. We build May up in our heads as this tropical paradise. In reality? May can be a bit of a chaotic mess.
If you look at historical climate data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), average temperatures in May for cities like Chicago or New York still hover in the 60s. It’s not "beach weather" yet. It’s "light jacket and maybe a sudden thunderstorm" weather. But compared to the 20-degree gloom of January 15, 65 degrees feels like the surface of the sun.
We crave it because of the "Green-Up." This is a technical term used by ecologists to describe the period when foliage starts to return. It’s a visual reset. After months of gray branches and brown slush, that neon green of early May is a literal sight for sore eyes.
Why 2026 Feels Different
This year feels like we're all a bit more desperate for the season change. Maybe it's the cycle of news, or maybe it's just that the winter started particularly early and aggressively in late 2025.
When you ask how many days until May, you're also asking when the days will finally be longer than the nights in a meaningful way. We already passed the Winter Solstice in December, so the days are getting longer. But it's subtle. By the time we hit May 1, we’ll be seeing roughly 14 hours of daylight in many parts of the country. That is a massive jump from the measly 9 or 10 hours we're getting right now.
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The Math of the Countdown
If you want to track this yourself without constantly Googling it, here is the quick mental math trick.
- January has 31 days.
- February has 28 (in 2026).
- March has 31.
- April has 30.
Subtract whatever today's date is from the total days in the month, then add the rest. Since today is January 15, you have 16 days left in Jan. Add the 89 days of Feb/Mar/Apr, and you get your 105.
Honestly, it goes faster if you don't look at it every day. But we both know you’re going to look at it anyway.
What to Do While You Wait
Since you can't teleport to May 1 (though wouldn't that be nice?), you have to manage the 105-day gap.
- Start your seeds indoors. If you start peppers or tomatoes now, they’ll be huge by the time May rolls around. It gives you something green to look at while the world is still white and gray outside.
- Plan the travel. May is actually one of the best months to travel because it's "shoulder season." Prices haven't spiked for the summer yet, but the weather is good enough to walk around European cities or US national parks without freezing.
- Audit your gear. If you wait until May to buy a new lawnmower or patio furniture, you're going to pay full price. Buy that stuff in the next 30 days while retailers are trying to clear out winter stock and prep for spring.
- Fix your light situation. If the wait for May is genuinely bumming you out, get a 10,000 lux light therapy lamp. It sounds like a gimmick, but it helps bridge the gap until the sun decides to show its face again.
Actionable Steps for the Next 105 Days
Don't just let the time pass in a blur of winter blues. Use the countdown to your advantage.
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- Week 1-4 (The Rest of Jan): Focus on indoor organization. Deep clean the areas you’ll ignore once the weather gets nice.
- Week 5-8 (February): This is the hardest month. Book a weekend trip or a small "halfway" reward for making it through the worst of winter.
- Week 9-12 (March): Start your outdoor prep. Clean the gutters, check the deck for rot, and get your spring wardrobe out of storage.
- Week 13-15 (April): The final countdown. This is when you'll see the first bulbs popping up. Use this time to finalize any May long-weekend plans.
The wait for May is 105 days. It's a significant amount of time, but in the grand scheme of the year, it's the bridge to the best part of the calendar. Hang in there. The green is coming.