Fall actually began three weeks ago, even if it doesn't feel like it
Fall actually began Sept. 1, not Wednesday — at least from a weather or meteorological perspective.
Seasons are classified differently by meteorologists and climatologists than the dates set on most of our calendars. Meteorological fall is based on an annual temperature cycle. Astronomical fall is based on the Earth’s position relative to the sun.
As the National Centers for Environmental Information explains: “Meteorologists and climatologists break the seasons down into groupings of three months based on the annual temperature cycle as well as our calendar.”
That means the coldest time of year — winter — is pinned to December, January and February. Spring is March, April and May. Summer: June, July and August. And fall is September, October and November. Although it sure doesn’t feel like autumn for much of the country.
An extended heat streak is expected to stick around much of the nation into October. September clocked record high temperatures in many areas. And another heat wave is making its way east into the Great Plains, Great Lakes and Northeast from the West Coast. Forecasters say this trend will likely continue into early October.
But don’t let the weather fool you. Mind the calendar’s notice of the seasonal shift toward colder temperatures. Fall can breed violent storms, as cool temperatures creep increasingly south and clash with warm air. It’s high time for everything from tropical storms to tornadoes to — with an early dash of polar air — snow and blizzards.
The reason meteorological seasons were born was to better track such weather phenomena.
“Because Earth actually travels around the sun in 365.24 days, an extra day is needed every fourth year, creating what we know as Leap Year. This also causes the exact date of the solstices and equinoxes to vary. Additionally, the elliptical shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun causes the lengths of the astronomical seasons to vary between 89 and 93 days. These variations in season length and season start would make it very difficult to consistently compare climatological statistics for a particular season from one year to the next. Thus, the meteorological seasons were born,” the NCEI says.
Equinoxes are when the sun passes directly above the equator. The summer solstice in the northern hemisphere usually begins around June 21, and winter solstice around Dec. 22. The spring equinox usually falls on or around March 21.
In any event, Duck brand, which makes weatherstrip seals, says autumn is the best time of year to “weatherize” because of the dip in temperatures. Some tips include:
• Doors: Examine the caulking around these. Look for places where snowflakes and chilly air might sneak through and if caulking is cracked, re-caulk to prevent drafts.
• Windows: These are common areas for air leaks. To prevent them, try installing an insulating plastic film that provides an extra barrier from the cold, outside air.
• Attic accesses: These are often overlooked. Openings or pull-down stairs can create big gaps where warm air can escape and cold air can make its way inside. Try blocking those drafts with an attic stairway cove.
No matter if you go by the sun (which will be eclipsed Sunday evening by a supermoon) or the seasonal climate, you should calendar some time to weatherize for winter. That season officially begins Dec. 1, or Dec. 22, depending how you look at it. Play it safe and prepare for the earlier date.
Thomas M. Kostigen is the founder of TheClimateSurvivalist.com and a New York Times bestselling author and journalist. He is the National Geographic author of "Extreme Weather Survival Guide: Understand, Prepare, Survive, Recover" and the NG Kids book, "Extreme Weather: Surviving Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Hailstorms, Thundersnow, Hurricanes and More!" Follow him @weathersurvival, or email kostigen@theclimatesurvivalist.com.
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