Spot the Full Snow Moon!
February’s full Moon peaks Wednesday morning, February 12! Why is it called the full Snow Moon? What makes this Moon special? Find out in our February Moon Guide.
When to See the Full Moon in February 2025
February’s full Snow Moon reaches peak illumination at 8:53 A.M. EST on Wednesday, February 12. It will be below the horizon at this time, so for the best view of this Moon, look for it starting the night before or later on Wednesday; it will drift above the horizon in the east around sunset and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight. See when the Moon will be visible in your area.
Why Is It Called the Snow Moon?
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the full Moon itself.
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The Snow Moon
The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie (Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.”
Alternative February Moon Names
Names for this month’s Moon have historically had a connection to animals. The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon. The Ojibwe Bear Moon and Tlingit Black Bear Moon refer to the time when bear cubs are born. The Dakota also call this the Raccoon Moon; certain Algonquin peoples named it the Groundhog Moon, and the Haida named it Goose Moon.
Another theme of this month’s Moon names is scarcity. The Cherokee names of Month of the Bony Moon and Hungry Moon give evidence to the fact that food was hard to come by at this time.
→ See a full calendar year of Moon names and meanings.
Moon Phases for February 2025
All dates and times listed below are Eastern Standard Time. See the Almanac’s Moon Phase Calendar for times in your city/state.
February Moon Phase Dates and Times
| First Quarter: February 5, 3:02 A.M. |
| Full Moon: February 12, 8:53 A.M. |
| Last Quarter: February 20, 12:32 A.M. |
| New Moon: February 27, 7:45 P.M. |
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→ When is the next full Moon? See our Full Moon calendar.
February Snow Moon Video
Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. In this video, learn about the Snow Moon, “Moon weather,” and the horns of the new crescent Moon. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in February 2025
Below are the Best Days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in February.
For Planting…
…Aboveground crops: 8, 9
…Belowground crops: 18, 19
For Setting Eggs
6, 7, 14-16
For Fishing
1-12, 27, 28
→ See all our Best Days for various activities.
Moon Facts and Folklore
- On February 6, 1971, Alan Shepard became the first man to hit a golf ball on the Moon.
- Did you know that the Moon’s diameter is 2,160 miles? This is less than the width of the United States (approximately 3,000 miles), and 0.27 of Earth’s diameter (7,926 miles).
- Wolves have howled at the Moon for centuries, yet it is still there.
- And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, they danced by the light of the Moon.
—Edward Lear, English poet (1812-88)
Share your thoughts about the February Moon below!
Catherine Boeckmann
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I don't know y i just feel it in my soul
Me too. I always know somehow when there's a full moon.
My mother-in-law was an ob nurse. She always said more babies were born during a full moon.
It is weird that there is a full moon tomorrow and is also called, "Snow Moon". Well my birthday is tomorrow and is on the same day as a full moon (Snow Moon). It is kind cool but also weird in a sense that it has never happened on my birthday. Plus there is going to be a bright star shining as well near the moon too. Really cool.
I can go without sleep when the moon is full, I am not tired the next day. Wierd. I do not even know when the full moon is most of the time, I know when I stay up all night.
Gina, I totally agree with you. Maybe the moon explains it!
I have noticed myself and several people I know have had an extremely bad week. Either stress is piling up on people or we are just having problems dealing with it. Whichever, I will be glad when it goes back to normal. Whatever that is!
I got up before daybreak. Inside my white-walled garden, it appeared to be fully lit. I now understand why. Thank you for the interesting facts about our full moon.
A charge nurse at a convelescent home said there is emotional upheaval not only at Full Moon but at New Moon also......extremes perhaps
I have noticed for yrs that people get very short tempered around a full moon, and I notice that even within myself. You especially see it in driving. What I would like to know is what is going on since last Saturday, Feb. 18th? Four of my close friends seemed to get really quiet due to heightened stress, and I and many others have been experiencing anxiety like feelings since then. People were even posting about it on Facebook! I am a Scorpio, and our intuition and ability to "feel" other people's feelings is extremely strong, so I'm sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that is contributing to my recent level of emotional and physical intensity. I would just like to know why it is all so intense right now, beyond what I've experienced in the past? Is something going on that anyone knows of right now that would affect this like a full moon does at a lower intensity? Thank you.
