September 1 Marks Beginning Of Meteorological Fall

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - The arrival of September marks the beginning of fall for those who work in the field of atmospheric science, including climatologists and meteorologists.

That's because climatologists and meteorologists break the seasons down by temperature, with the hottest months of the year being summer and the coldest of course being winter, with spring and fall in between.

Meteorological spring includes March, April, and May; meteorological summer includes June, July, and August; meteorological fall includes September, October, and November; and meteorological winter includes December, January, and February.

The astronomical calendar says fall arrives this year at 7:54 p.m. in the mountain time zone on Sept 22. That's the autumnal equinox, which means equal day and equal night.

If you're at the equator on the equinox the sun will be directly overhead (90°) at noon local time.

People have used natural phenomena to mark time for centuries, including the natural rotation of Earth around the sun.

Meteorologist Chris Spears travels weekly in the CBS4 Mobile Weather Lab reporting about Colorado's weather and climate. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.