The February Full Moon or Snow Moon is simply the first full moon observed in February.
The next Snow Moon is on Saturday, February 24, 2024. It will reach its peak illumination at 7:30 a.m. EST. The February full moon is the second full moon observed in the year.
Although it will occur during the daytime in the US, the full moon generally stays for a long duration, so you should be able to watch it during the night and the day after as well.
Farmer's Almanac, a yearly American periodical, referred to February full moon as the Snow moon because heaps of snow are generally found on the ground in most Northern Hemisphere countries during this time.
It originated in the 1700s when Captain Jonathan Carver, a famous American explorer, named this phase Snow moon. According to the National Weather Service's data, the United States experiences the heaviest snowfall during February.
February Full Moons for the next six years
| Year |
Day of the week |
Date and Time |
| 2025 | Wednesday | February 12 at 8:53 AM EST |
| 2026 | Sunday | February 1 at 5:09 PM EST |
| 2027 | Saturday | February 20 at 6:23 PM EST |
| 2028 | Thursday | February 10 at 10:04 AM EST |
| 2029 | Wednesday | February 28 at 12:10 PM ET |
| 2030 | Monday | February 18 at 1:20 AM EST |
Moon Cycle for February 2024
- Last quarter: February 2, 11:18 PM UTC
- New Moon: February 9, 10: 59 PM UTC
- First Quarter: February 16, 03:01 PM UTC
- Full Moon (Snow Moon): February 24, 12:30 PM UTC
Occurrence of Full moon
A full moon happens when the Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon. It is completely illuminated at that point. A full moon occurs once a month or 28.53 days on average. However, there are years when the month of February does not have a full moon, as it has 28 days and 29 days in a leap year. This is also known as the Black Moon.
Alternate names of February full moon
Besides being called the coldest or snowy month, February is known for the scarcity of food to some. This is because hunting was difficult during harsh winter conditions in the olden days and this resulted in an acute shortage of food. Therefore it is also known as the Hungry Moon or Month of the Bony Moon by the Cherokee (Indigenous tribe).
The Snow Moon is also called the Tinglet Black Bear Moon and Objibwe Bear Moon because it is the time when bear cubs are born.
Other names given by different communities are:
- Eagle Moon or Bald Eagle Moon by the Cree
- Raccoon Moon by the Dakota
- Groundhog Moon by the Algonquin people
- Goose Moon by the Haida
February Full Moon or Snow Moon is preceded by Wolf Moon (January Full Moon) and followed by Worm Moon (March Full Moon).
Learn about the Names Of The 12 Full Moons
You might also find this article useful: Full Moon Dates 2023
