With the arrival of September this Sunday, does that mean that autumn has arrived? Well, the answer is yes, but it depends on who is saying it.
Autumn begins this Sunday, September 1st, according to meteorologists.
“By following the civil calendar and having less variation in the length and start of the season, it is much easier to calculate seasonal statistics from monthly statistics, which are very useful for agriculture, trade and a variety of other purposes,” the authors explain. National Environmental Information Centerl.
If this measurement is taken into account, autumn begins on September 1 and would end on December 1 with the arrival of the winter season.
Now, if astronomical measurements are taken into account, summer will continue until the middle of this month, since the new season would begin with the autumn equinox on September 22.
WHAT IS THE AUTUMN EQUINOX?
At the autumn equinox the Earth’s tilt is almost evenly distributed, meaning it is neither facing the Sun nor away from it.
During this period the Earth receives direct sunlight above the equator, so day and night have approximately equal length, about 12 hours each.
“In the Northern Hemisphere, the exact moment when day and night are equal occurs a few days after the autumn equinox. The Sun crosses the celestial equator in a southerly direction, rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west,” according to the website. Almanac.
WHEN WILL THE LEAVES CHANGE COLOR IN AUTUMN?
Some trees that have begun to change are certain maples and elms in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana, says the forest ecologist at Morton Arboretumla doctora Christy Rollinson.
He explains that the change is still to be complete, as “many other trees, including those common in forest reserves and natural areas such as sugar maples and oaks, are unlikely to begin changing color for several weeks.”
This year, tree leaves are expected to begin changing color in mid-September in the Midwest, especially in Illinois and northwest Indiana, according to the website. American Forest.
Peak fall color change in Illinois (especially in northern and central Illinois) and northwestern Indiana is expected to occur between the weeks of Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, American Forest says.
“Right now, we don’t see a lot of evidence to support an early peak fall color season, but things can change very quickly as we move into September and October, when what happens day to day really has a strong influence on the color-changing process of trees and their preparation for winter,” Rollinson explains.
The specialist adds that “generally, the peak of autumn colour occurs in mid to late October in this region.”
As the new season progresses, the trees will begin to change color. “We will really see the trees start to change color as the days get colder and the nighttime temperatures become consistently quite cold, reaching the 40s or 30s, or even a little lower,” explains the specialist from the Morton Arboretum.
“Brighter days will help promote good fall color in many tree species, but we all know how difficult it can be to predict in our region,” he added.
