February is the 2nd month of the year and the shortest — 28 days most years, 29 in a leap year. The name traces to februum, a Latin word for purification, after a Roman festival held mid-month. It’s the only month whose length isn’t fixed, a quirk left over from a calendar that used February as the flexible slot for keeping the year lined up with the seasons.
How many days does February have?
Twenty-eight in a common year, 29 in a leap year. A year is a leap year when it divides evenly by 4, unless it also divides by 100 without dividing by 400 — which is why 2000 was a leap year but 1900 wasn’t. The next leap years are 2028 and 2032.
What season is February?
Late winter in the Northern Hemisphere, with the first hints of a turn toward spring in milder regions. In the Southern Hemisphere it’s late summer.
What quarter is February in?
February is the middle month of the first quarter (Q1), January through March.
February holidays and observances
- Valentine’s Day on February 14
- Presidents’ Day in the United States, on the third Monday
- Lunar New Year frequently falls in February
- Leap Day on February 29, once every four years
- Black History Month runs the full month in the US and Canada
February at a glance
The birthstone is amethyst, the traditional flowers are the violet and primrose, and the zodiac moves from Aquarius into Pisces around February 19. The month sits between January and March. For the current month, see what month is it.
February by the numbers
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Days in the month | 28 (29 in a leap year such as 2028) |
| Day of the year on February 1 | 32 |
| Day of the year on February 28 | 59 (60 in a leap year) |
| Share of the year finished by the end of February | about 16.2% |
| Days left in the year after February 28 | 306 |
| February 1, 2026 falls on | Sunday |
| February 1, 2027 falls on | Monday |
February 29 is day 60 in a leap year, so only the last day number changes. To find the day number of a February date, add 31 for January: February 15 is 31 + 15 = 46. The day of the year tool works it out for any date.
February 2026 calendar
February 2026 starts on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday. Federal holidays (as observed) are in bold.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
Key dates in February 2026 and 2027
| Date | Day | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2, 2026 | Monday | Groundhog Day | |
| February 14, 2026 | Saturday | Valentine’s Day | |
| February 16, 2026 | Monday | Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday) | federal holiday |
| February 2, 2027 | Tuesday | Groundhog Day | |
| February 14, 2027 | Sunday | Valentine’s Day | |
| February 15, 2027 | Monday | Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday) | federal holiday |
Business days in February
| Month | Weekdays | Federal holidays on weekdays | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | 20 | 1 | 19 |
| February 2027 | 20 | 1 | 19 |
Business days here are Monday to Friday minus observed US federal holidays. State holidays and company closures can lower the count further.