MACON, Ga. — Summer temperatures linger for quite some time here in Central Georgia, which leaves many ready for the beginning of fall.
But, when you search for the official start of fall, you may receive two different answers.
There are two ways to mark the beginning of fall: the meteorological season and the astronomical season.
The meteorological start to fall is on Sept. 1, and the astronomical start is on Sept. 22.
According to NOAA, meteorologists break down seasons into three-month periods based on the annual temperature cycle. This means that the seasons mark the beginning of when we could see some temperature changes, and the seasonality is closely related to our monthly calendar.
The astronomical start of fall, or the fall equinox, is based on the Earth's tilt on its axis and its rotation around the Sun. There are two solstices and two equinoxes, where solstices occur during the maximum tilt of the Earth towards or away from the Sun and the equinoxes occur when there is nearly no tilt towards or away from the Earth.
The solstices create a maximum number of daylight or nighttime hours, whereas the equinox creates a nearly equal number of daylight and nighttime hours.
These dates mark the time when we begin to see a shift in the number of daylight hours that we experience.
Whether you choose to go by the meteorological or astronomical calendar, fall is soon approaching which means we are one day closer to some cooler temperatures and some drier air here in central Georgia!
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