Sep 13, 2023 3 min read

Is it fall yet? I know it’s not (technically) fall, even though it is meteorological fall.

What’s that, you ask? Well, meteorological autumn (as opposed to astronomical autumn) begins Sept. 1 and ends Nov. 30. Meteorological fall is a season created by scientists while the actual astronomical fall season we observe on the calendar is based on the astronomical timing of the autumn equinox and winter solstice. That will officially arrive this year at 2:49 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.

Are you ready for fall? I am this year, and that’s saying a lot. Normally I go kicking and screaming into trading my flip flops and shorts for fuzzy boots and sweaters. I love football season and the changing leaves, I love the cooler nights and the not-so-humid days, especially in late September, when you get nice, warm, sunny days and cool nights. However, I am not one of those people who jumps ahead to switch seasons way too early ahead of the curve.

I walked into a store a couple of weeks ago, before Labor Day, and they already had giant Halloween inflatables for sale. One of my coworkers said they’ve already spotted Christmas trees in stores. It’s too early, folks!

I like to do my changeover of seasons right on time so that I can actually enjoy each season as it’s happening. I don’t want to jump back into shorts and sandals on March 20 – when it will most likely still be snowing and cold – just because the calendar says it’s suddenly spring.

I guess one of the reasons I’m ready for fall to arrive this year is because we’ve had some hot, humid weather to start September. So far, Pittsburgh’s average temperature for the month of September is running around 6½ degrees warmer than normal. We had three straight days of 91 degrees after only two other days this summer that reached 90 degrees or higher (one in June and one in August). This summer hasn’t been extraordinarily hot, but it has seemed warm and humid to me. August would end up 0.6 degrees warmer than normal for Pittsburgh, and July was similar, at 0.7 degrees warmer than normal. June was the opposite, ending nearly three degrees cooler than normal.

Football kicking off usually gets me in the mood for fall’s arrival and I always enjoy the first tailgates of the college season in sunshine and 80-degree temperatures since I know our last games of the season in November will have me wearing thermals, thick socks, boots and a puffy coat. Cooler air has arrived this week with highs struggling to hit 70 a couple of days and nights falling just below 50 degrees, and I love it!

I won’t be one of those folks running out to get a pumpkin spice coffee or donut (well, maybe) or pumpkin anything just yet, but I am ready to enjoy a cooldown and sweatshirt weather.

Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.