Which months have five weekends in 2028?

In 2028, January, April, July and December hold five complete weekends. 4 months hold five Fridays — the ones a weekly payroll pays three times.

Every month, every weekday that comes round five times

Weekdays occurring five times in each month of 2028
MonthDaysOccurs five timesFive full weekends
January31Sunday, Monday, SaturdayYes
February29Tuesday
March31Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
April30Sunday, SaturdayYes
May31Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
June30Thursday, Friday
July31Sunday, Monday, SaturdayYes
August31Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
September30Friday, Saturday
October31Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
November30Wednesday, Thursday
December31Sunday, Friday, SaturdayYes

Why it happens, and why it is not rare

A month with 31 days is four weeks plus three days, so three weekdays come round five times; a 30-day month gives two of them; February gives none unless it is a leap February starting on a Monday. For five complete weekends the month needs 31 days and must start on a Friday or a Saturday, so that the fifth Saturday still has its Sunday inside the month.

That combination turns up several times a year, every year. The chain email claiming a month with five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays happens "once in 823 years" is simply wrong — it happens whenever a 31-day month starts on a Friday, which is roughly once or twice a year.

The payroll reason to care

Weekly and fortnightly payrolls are the practical reason this question gets asked. In 2028 the five-Friday months are March, June, September and December, and the five-Monday months are January, May, July and October — a three-payday month for a weekly cycle, and a budgeting surprise for anyone who assumes twelve equal months.

Related

Other years