What is meteorological fall? | wtol.com

TOLEDO, Ohio — September has arrived, and with it comes the official start of meteorological fall. While the calendar says autumn doesn’t begin until the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22, meteorologists mark the seasons a little differently.

Meteorological seasons are based on the calendar months, making it easier to compare weather and climate data from year to year. Instead of shifting dates tied to the Earth’s tilt and orbit, meteorologists divide the seasons neatly into three-month blocks:

• Spring: March, April, May

• Summer: June, July, August

• Fall: September, October, November

• Winter: December, January, February

This method helps with record-keeping. For example, if you want to compare how warm one summer was to another, it makes more sense to group June through August rather than splitting across parts of May and September.

In Toledo, September marks a noticeable shift in weather. Average high temperatures fall from the low 80s at the start of the month to the low 70s by the end. Daylight also shrinks rapidly, trimming nearly over an hour before October begins.

So while astronomical fall is still a few weeks away, meteorological fall is here — and you’ll likely feel the change in your morning walks, evening football games, and weekend outings. The new season has begun on the weather calendar, and Toledoans are stepping into fall.