Pumpkins in my garden turning orange!
First, it infected Target with hints of orange and fuzzy sweaters. Then it was Caribou announcing their Pumpkin Espresso Shaker. Before you knew it the school supplies at Walmart were replaced with scarecrows and costumes. By September 1st many people claimed it to be Fall. Others argued NO! A quick Google search shows that Fall does not start until September 23rd. Minnesotans know that Fall means snow is coming soon, but it is hard to believe it is Fall when the temperature still reaches 90 degrees. Yet my pumpkins are turning orange! What does this all mean? When does Fall start? You might think to yourself “Kate likes science, surely she knows!”
According to my research, Minnesota has three starts to Fall. Each with its own unique purpose.
Retail…
We first see the signs of Fall in retail stores. Fashion is traditionally broken into two seasons, Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. The latter typically begins in July. By August, most retailers have already rolled out their warmer clothes for back to school and colder weather. The reason for this is simple: the sooner they can put out new products, the more they can sell. We can also see this trend in the food industry. Both Caribou and Starbucks released their Autumn menus on August 24th this year. Although, I was thoroughly disappointed to see Caribou chose to omit their Apple Blast.
Meteorological…
Meteorologists say that Fall begins September 1st. Unlike retail seasons, of which there are only two, meteorologists divide the year into four equal seasons: Winter running from December 1st to February 28th, Spring running March 1st to May 31st, Summer running June 1st to August 31st, and Fall which runs September 1st to November 30th. This division of seasons fits best with our civil calendar. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, it makes it easier for meteorologists to collect data on the respective seasons as they follow the annual temperature cycle. This explains why it seems hottest during Summer and coldest during winter (Weatherbee, 2022). Having a consistent division of seasons makes it easier to organize and analyze the data they collect.
Astronomical…
Astronomical Fall is what most calendars consider the beginning of Fall. While these seasons are similar to Meteorological seasons, their start dates fall around the 21st of their starting month. Instead of following the annual temperature cycle, astronomers follow the Sun. As the Earth rotates around the Sun, we experience two Solstices and two Equinoxes. The equinoxes determine the beginning of Spring and Fall. An equinox occurs when the Sun passes directly over the center of the earth (Equator). This year Fall will begin September 23rd at 1:50 am when the sun passes over the equator as reported by TimeAndDate.com.
At the equinox, Earth’s axis is perpendicular to the Sun’s rays as the Sun is directly above the equator. timeanddate.com
We can see that Fall has three different starts. Each with its own use. I personally consider Fall to start when my favorite Lo-Fi label releases its annual fall album.
How about you? When do you consider Fall to begin?
Next time we will learn why water isn’t organic!
Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on the wonderful world of Science.
Thanks for reading and happy Fall!
-Kate
Resources cited in this article:
Bikos, K. (n.d.). When is Fall 2023 / 2024? TimeAndDate.com. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/autumnal-equinox.html
Weatherbee, C. (2022). What is meteorological fall? Farmers’ Almanac – Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/meteorological-fall
Other Helpful Resources:
Meteorological versus astronomical seasons. (2023, July 26). National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons
This article reflects the author’s opinions and has not received any form of sponsorship.
Hey, Kate!
Wow! I didn’t know the start of fall was so different to folks! It makes sense that your view of fall is tied to what you engage with most. For me, it’s always been the Farmer’s way, or the meteorological way as you say here. Once my neighbors start harvesting their fields, that’s how I knew fall was here. Now that I’m in the city, I go moreso on when the leaves start changing color and the weather gets cooler. That can’t come soon enough for me; fall is my absolute favorite season! Thank you so much for letting me learn a little more about it!