When does Fall start?

Have you ever wondered when does fall start? We know of the seasonal cycle and the summer solstice and the winter solstice but what day do the leaves start to fall in the Northern Hemisphere? Well, September 22 is when autumn officially begins and is considered to be the first day of fall. It is in autumn that the equinox occurs where night and day are both equally long.

The four seasons of the Earth are decided upon by sunlight that shifts all through the year based on the revolution cycle of the planet. A few days before the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, day and night are equally long with each lasting for approximately 12 hours. During the summer solstice, we get to enjoy the maximum amount of sunlight. During the local noon, the sun is at its most northern point in the sky. After the solstice, the daylight time decreases and the days start getting shorter.

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On the autumnal equinox, the day and night are of the same length with each lasting for around 12 hours except in the Northern Hemisphere where this phenomenon happens a few days after the actual autumnal equinox. It crosses the celestial equator going southward and rises and sets in a regular pattern right in its due direction.

During the winter solstice, we experience the shortest day of the year, where sunlight remains for the shortest duration. The Sun reaches its most southern point in the sky and after this, the days start to get longer or in other words the time length and amount of sunlight increases.

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So, what is it about this season that goes by the name of fall in the USA which makes it an eagerly awaited season of the year? 

#1. To start with this is a season of Halloween, Thanksgiving, warm sweaters, pleasant weather and scattered leaves. It brings a festive cheer and adds a poetic feel to the weather; you can walk down alleys with a cold breeze around the path scattered with dry old leaves. The weather gives us respite from the scorching summers and prepares us for winters. The festive season commences right from fall when you see carved pumpkins and colorful tinsel outside homes. The Thanksgiving feast is another perk of this season where you get to feast on tasty fattening food.

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#2. There is a lot of folklore associated with this time of the year. An old proverb says that “If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter.” This means that if a tree has not shed all of its leaves and some still hang on to it, it means a colder winter. 

#3. Fall is also the season of Baseball and Football in the USA. 

#4. Around $3 billion flocks to New England to enjoy the fall, it’s a peak time for birds to migrate to the south towards a warmer climate. 

#5. NASA calls autumn "aurora season “due to the Northern Lights visible during that time, and according to the 2013 YouGov survey, fall is the favorite season of 30 percent Americans. 

#6. Surprisingly, Fall in Australia lasts from March to May.

Are you waiting for fall as well? Give your feedback in the comment box below.

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