ENID, OK - The autumnal equinox arrives Wednesday, September 22 (at 2:20pm CST), marking our traditional passage from summer to fall here in the Northern Hemisphere and winter to spring if you live south of the equator.
Fall, like all of the seasons, is caused by the Earth's tilt in relation to the sun. It gets warmer in each hemisphere when that hemisphere tilts toward the sun and colder when it leans away.
While the September equinox usually occurs on September 22 or 23, it can very rarely fall on September 21 or September 24. A September 21 equinox has not happened for several millennia. However, in the 21st century, it will happen twice – in 2092 and 2096. The last September 24 equinox occurred in 1931, the next one will take place in 2303.
Even though the autumnal equinox is upon us, fall may take its time arriving this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a warmer-than-normal fall across the entire United States.
Fall is the time of year when your favorite everything hits stores in pumpkin-spice flavors. Lattes, cereal, ice cream, butter and even doughnuts. The flavor in most cases is not actually pumpkin! It comes from a mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, dry ginger and cloves.
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