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Fall Weather
Autumn weather is unpredictable and beautiful.Hurricanes, Indian summer, fog, frost and early snowstorms can all mark theseason. Autumn Weather Around the WorldThe northern hemisphere has autumn weather during September, October, and November. The Southern hemisphere of the earth has autumn from March until early June. In tropical regions, seasonal changes are less obvious. Tropical regions tend to have dry and rainy seasons instead of warm and cold. So autumn is barely noticeable except for an increase or decrease in rainfall. Autumn weather does not last long in the polar regions, where extremely cold winter weather begins earlier and lasts longer. So, it is in the more moderate temperature regions where autumn or fall is most visible. In the temperatrue regions decious tree leaves change to spectular colors and fall from the trees. That is why this time is know as fall in North America.The regions with extremely hot or extremely cold temperature vary little in climate during the year. Autumn or fall marks a big change from warm to cold. Autumn In the Northern HemisphereIn North America, early Fall days are generally warm and nights are cool. As winter approaches, the air becomes chillier and frost often occurs at night. In much of North America, the end of fall is marked by the freezing of lakes and streams, the southern migration of birds,the falling of leaves and pre-winter snowstorms.Autumn, especially in September, is the season when most hurricanes occur. Hurricanes cause great damage along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the western North Atlantic Ocean (the east coast of North America). Indian Summer or Second SummerIndian Summer (Second Summer) is a one to two week period of pleasant cloudless days, which sometimes happens in late October or early November. There are no definite dates for the period. It is most noticeable in the central and eastern North America. The days are dry and unseasonably warm. This Second Summer often occurs after the first cold wintry days of autumn. That's what makes it stand out.During the short period of this Second Summer, the days are clear and warm but the nights are still chilly. During the day the skies are clear, very blue and cloudless. The is almost no wind. The air is still and smoke from fires hangs in the stagnant air. The sun shines soft and hazy in the sky. It glows a soft yellowish orange. With no clouds, the days grow warmer with each passing day. The nights are chilly and often bring frost. After the ten to fourteen day period of the Second Summer, cold winter weather begins. In North America, Second Summer is caused by southern winds carrying warm tropical air masses northward over the continent. In North America the term "Indian Summer" apparently started in New England. Apparently, the European settlers named it after the period, because the indigenous peoples, American Indians, told them that the warm spell would come. Some American Indians say it started as a derogatory term and referred to misunderstandings over land. To American Indians any land given to the settlers to live on was seen as essentially a loan. The Europeans saw it as a permanent purchase. When the confusion arose Europeans began to refer to Indians as "Indian givers". The term came to mean someone who gave something and then took it back. Apparently, "Indian Summer" as sprang from this concept. As something (warm weather) that was given then taken back (cold weather soon followed). Was the European assessment fair? Was it reasonable to think very large groups of people could move to a land and permanently acquire huge tracts of land? To answer that questions just ask would any European country have permanently given land to a large group of American Indians who settled on the British Isles. I doubt it. For these reasons, I prefer to use the term "Second Summer". Other parts of the world have warm autumn periods like Second Summer.In Europe it is generally called 'Old Wives' Summer" or "Second Summer". The English call it "All Hallow Summer" or "St. Martin's Summer". In Poland is called "God's Gift to Poland" and lasts for three or four weeks. Hurricane SeasonMost hurricanes happen during summer and autumn. In the Atlantic Ocean and the Northeast Pacific Ocean, August and September are the peak hurricane months. To learn more about hurricane season, click thorough to the page on hurricanes.
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