When does fall start? A look at the autumn equinox 2024

WASHINGTON — While the temperatures may not reflect it just yet, fall is around the corner. 

The autumn equinox, which comes around every September for the Northern Hemisphere, marks the official astronomical start of fall. This year, the equinox arrives Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:44 a.m. Eastern, according to The Farmers’ Almanac.

However, fall is already in full swing for meteorologists. Unlike the astronomical equinoxes and solstices, fall is based on annual temperature cycles and start on the first of the month. 

The first day of fall is on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in the Northern Hemisphere. 

These are just two different ways to carve up the year.

Meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They break down the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles. By that calendar, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on Sept. 1 and winter on Dec. 1.

Astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth moves around the sun.

As the Earth travels around the sun, it does so at an angle.

For most of the year, the Earth’s axis is tilted either toward or away from the sun. That means the sun’s warmth and light fall unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet.

During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.

The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That’s because on the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time — though one may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet.

The Northern Hemisphere’s fall – or autumnal — equinox usually lands land between Sept. 21 and 24.

The solstices mark the times during the year when the Earth is at its most extreme tilt toward or away from the sun. This means the hemispheres are getting very different amounts of sunlight — and days and nights are at their most unequal.

During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice, the upper half of the earth is tilted in toward the sun, creating the longest day and shortest night of the year. This solstice falls between June 20 and 22.

Meanwhile, at the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the sun — leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls between December 20 and 23.

Winter starts in the Northern Hemisphere with the winter solstice on Dec. 21. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, while the winter solstice is the shortest.