Rain Water 2026: 18 Feb

The season behind the name

Rain Water names the spring moisture awaited to soften dry soil and support sowing.

These names grew from seasonal observation and farming practice. They describe a traditional seasonal sequence, not a weather forecast for every region.

Rain Water begins at the instant the Sun reaches 330 degrees of apparent ecliptic longitude. It is one of 24 equal 15-degree divisions of the solar year, so its Gregorian position changes only slightly from year to year.

As a qi term, Rain Water marks the alternating mid-month point in the solar-term sequence. It does not open a solar branch month, and it does not open a lunar month.

The time is shown in China Standard Time (UTC+8). A reader west or east of that zone may see the same instant fall on a different local civil date.