Here’s when fall officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere, and when we can expect the leaves to start changing colors.
The autumnal equinox of 2022, also known as the September equinox or fall equinox, arrives on Thursday, Sept. 22, according toThe date marks the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere — and the equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide.
The autumnal equinox happens when the sun crosses the equator from north to south. The vernal equinox, or the start of spring, happens when it moves from south to north.This year’s Harvest Moon peaked in the early morning hours on Saturday, Sept. 10. Meteorologists divide the year up into four seasons based on the annual temperature cycle, while astronomers determine the seasons by the Earth’s tilt, according toFor example, fall for meteorologists begins Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. Winter starts on Dec. 1 and ends on the last day in February.
The annual fall foliage is highly contingent on the location and, in some areas, can start as early as late September and peak in either October or November, according to FOX Weather. "The drought is a big factor this year. Where the drought is worse, the peak is going to be really quick, really fast, and the leaves are going to come down," Yankee Magazine fall foliage expert Jim Salge told FOX Weather.