Chilly Fall Temperatures May Arrive a Bit Later Than Usual This Year
Already looking forward to fall? We don’t blame you: After scorching heat waves and relentless bug bites, those crisp, cool days are starting to look better than ever.
Autumn may be just weeks away, but depending on your region, you might have to wait a little longer than normal to notice a chill in the air. Trips to the pumpkin patch, leaf-peeping adventures, and fall movie nights are on the way, but like in recent years, summer temperatures aren’t in a rush to leave.
In fact, much of the country should gear up for a warmer-than-average fall—and one that could bring heavy storms or drier weather, depending on your region. Before you shut off the AC, order a piping hot PSL, and light that apple spice candle, here’s everything you need to know about the fall 2021 weather forecast:
When is the first day of fall?
The first day of fall in 2021 is Wednesday, September 22, which coincides with the autumn equinox—the date directly between the summer and winter solstices, when day and night are nearly equal lengths. But don’t expect temperatures to cool down by then; based on last year’s averages and this year’s lingering heat, most parts of the country probably won’t experience proper sweater weather until later in the season.
It’s not just you: Temperatures have soared this year. In July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that June was by far the hottest summer on record. Fall will bring some relief, but you can expect warmer, weirder weather in the years to come due to climate change, scientists say.
When will fall weather start in 2021?
Most of the United States usually experiences summer-like temperatures through September, and that likely won’t change this year. The Northeast, Midwest, West, and northern Plains should all brace for summery highs through the end of the month, according to AccuWeather and The Weather Channel, and the heat might partially spill over into October, too.
Past data from the NOAA indicates that the Rockies, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northeast experience the most dramatic temperature drops in October. The Sun Belt and the Southeast, meanwhile, usually see lower temperatures starting in November.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects higher-than-average temperatures in all of the contiguous states from September through November, especially in the Southwest, the Northeast, and Alaska. On the other end of the spectrum, parts of the Midwest, the Plains, and Texas are more likely to be closer to normal, but they’re still expected to be above average.
It’ll likely also be a wet autumn in the East and a dry one in the West. NOAA has issued a La Niña Watch, meaning it’s anticipating the return of the climate pattern that’s more conducive to tropical storms and hurricanes to form in the Atlantic Ocean. La Niña is caused by cooler-than-average water in the Pacific Ocean, and could also make rain less likely in the Southwest—not great news, considering the region’s struggles with drought and wildfires this summer. NOAA predicts La Niña to last from September or October through winter.
Make sure you enjoy those mild temperatures while you can, since The Farmers’ Almanac predicts it’ll be a particularly snowy winter across many regions of the country. Until then, we’ll be busy going on fall dates, sipping autumnal cocktails, and looking forward to leaf-peeping.
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