Fall begins Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 3:21 p.m. EDT with the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox. After a scorching summer for many areas, cooler temperatures are always a welcome relief. So, when will this fall deliver some “sweater weather”? Here’s what we’re predicting.
The Farmers’ Almanac extended forecast for fall indicates that things will transition from rather warm and humid conditions in September to an unusually agitated and turbulent month of October. October for much of the country is usually the clearest and most tranquil month of the year.
There is an old saying in New England, for instance, that October usually has 19 fair days. That might normally be true, but 2021 will be the exception—not the rule—with quite a few cloudy, windy, and showery days. That will set the stage for November, which will only be an extension of October’s unsettled weather pattern, except it will be turning colder.
We’ve all been gradually losing daylight since the summer solstice, and this is Mother Nature’s cue to begin the process of the changing of colors of deciduous tree leaves. Weather plays a role in the intensity of fall foliage colors. “Drought is the enemy of a good fall,” says biology professor Howard Neufeld of Appalachian State University in North Carolina. “The trees have to be in a healthy state, not water-stressed, heading into the season.”
In New England—where many will be making the trek to view fall foliage— many parts of Maine and Northern New Hampshire are experiencing abnormally dry conditions, which may affect the vibrancy of colors.
Before winter officially arrives on Dec. 21, at 10:59 a.m. EST, we’re predicting a few of our weather zones will see some light wintry precipitation in mid-November and early December. In fact, our first mention of “wet snow” comes in October in the Northeast and Great Lakes zones!
Whatever your plans are for Thanksgiving this year, you’ll want to know the weather so you’ll be prepared. To get a detailed weather outlook for your holidays and the remainder of 2021, be sure to check out our long-range weather planner for your zone here. And get advance weather forecasts for the year ahead, order a copy of the 2022 Farmers’ Almanac, on store shelves now.
Information from the Farmer’s Almanac.