How Many Days Until Fall?

Fall (or autumn, if you prefer) officially begins on the autumnal equinox, around September 22 in the Northern Hemisphere. Like the spring equinox, day and night are roughly equal, but from here the days get shorter and temperatures start dropping.

🍂 Fall Facts and Traditions

🍁 Why Do Leaves Change Color?

As days shorten, trees stop producing chlorophyll (the green pigment). This reveals yellow and orange pigments that were there all along but hidden by the green. Red and purple colors are produced by new pigments called anthocyanins that some trees create in autumn. The best fall color requires cool nights and sunny days.

🍂 Why Is It Called "Fall" in America?

The word "fall" is primarily American. It was originally "fall of the leaf," which was common in 17th-century English. British English shifted to the Latin-derived "autumn" while American English kept the shorter, more descriptive word. Both terms coexisted in Britain until the 1800s.

🍁 How Big Is Fall Foliage Tourism?

In New England alone, leaf-peeping generates an estimated $3 billion annually. Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine see their highest tourist numbers in October, not summer.

🍂 When Do Leaves Start Changing Color?

Peak fall foliage in the US starts in mid-September in northern New England and gradually moves southward through October and into November. The exact timing depends on temperature, rainfall and daylight hours. A warm, wet summer followed by cool autumn nights typically produces the most vivid colors. Climate change has been pushing peak foliage dates later by about 1 to 2 days per decade.

🎃 What Holidays Happen in Fall?

Fall is packed with holidays: Halloween (October 31), Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November), Día de los Muertos (November 1-2) in Mexican culture, Diwali (October or November), and the beginning of Advent and Hanukkah in late November or December. In the US, fall also brings the start of football season, pumpkin spice everything, and apple picking. Its the most festival-dense season on the American calendar.