Desoto State Park + Little River Canyon — Desoto State Park in Fort Payne, Alabama (The Bama Buzz)

While the fall equinox isn’t until Sept. 22, many people have already celebrated the unofficial start to the fall season.

Whether that’s the start of college football season, the Labor Day weekend or just the first signs of fake fall, it seems like everyone in Alabama is ready for the fall to arrive.

And while we may not get complete relief from the summer temperatures here in Alabama, meteorologists are already saying fall has started.

“As meteorologists, we like to have uniformity and of course, we like to make things up. Meteorological fall begins September 1, a date chosen based on shifting weather patterns across the county. The further north, the bigger the change and more rapid the cool down.”
Evan Chickvara, ABC 33/40 meteorologist

Keep reading to learn more about meteorological fall + why the term is used by our weather experts.

Meteorological seasons

Meteorological Fall is a term widely used to more closely align the seasons with the changing temperatures + your every day calendar.

The meteorological seasons usually begin roughly three weeks before the equinox and align with the first days of the month.

Fall: Sep. 1-Nov. 30
Winter: Dec. 1-Feb. 28/29
Spring: March 1-May 31
Summer: June 1-Aug. 31

These fixed dates makes it easier to compare and analyze climate data from year to year, which is useful for agriculture, commerce, and other purposes.

“It’s easy to quantify seasonal averages in temperature and precipitation. Weather during this period is more similar than the equinox to the solstice. Overall, it’s about organizing weather into categories with consistency and it becomes easier to explain.”
Evan Chickvara

When will it feel like fall in Alabama?

Img 8991 Scaled E1726861547127 — The Million Dollar Band performing at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Caleb Turrentine / The Bama Buzz)

We got a taste of cooler temperatures last week to welcome in college football season but as Alabama + Auburn return to their home stadiums this weekend, fans can expect much warmer temperatures.

So when will we get that consistent fall feel? It may not be until closer to the equinox or maybe even later.

It’s safe to say you may not get to break out the complete cold weather wardrobe until October.

But don’t worry, if you’re looking for an excuse to break out the fall decorations and bring pumpkin spice back to your diet, meteorologists say now is the time.

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