Fall is here with cooler air, leaves changing and shorter days

Cooler air starts to settle in, leaves change and the days grow shorter. These are signs that the fall season is here. 

Hope Osemwenkhae

Sep 27, 2023, 5:22 PM

Updated 399 days ago

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After a hot and humid start to meteorological fall, cooler air starts to settle in, leaves change, and the days grow shorter. These are signs that the fall season is here. 
Average autumn daytime high temperatures range from the 50s to the 70s with overnight lows in the 40s to the 60s. However, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center forecast temperatures to be above the aforementioned average through November with above-average precipitation. 
During the summer, there were a lot of factors that played an important role into how this fall season will unfold. This summer, temperatures were below average and precipitation was above average.
In order to get the vibrant fall colors on the leaves, we need:
  1. Lots of summer rain
  2. Warm days
  3. Cool nights
We can expect lively yellows, oranges and reds on the leaves this fall thanks to the above average rainfall. 
However, there will be a delay in when the leaves start to change color due to excessive rainfall we had over the summer. Lastly, expect a longer foliage due to the cooler than normal temperatures.
The bright colors vary from tree to tree, with leaves directly exposed to the sun turning red, while those on the shadier side turning yellow. If cloudy, warm, and rainy weather persists, leaves tend to lose some of their coloration. You can start seeing the colors change as early as this week with the peak colors expected mid-October to early November.