Fall officially began on Sunday afternoon. The weekend — as if securing the validity of the oncoming autumn season — proved much cooler than weeks passed, and despite a few clouds, was particularly sunny and much cooler.
This week looks to be similar, sunny but slightly hotter.
Photo from www.Weather.com (Click to enlarge)
According to meteorologists with the National Weather Service, Monday’s high is predicted at 84 with a cool low of 61.
Tuesday currently has the highest predicted high of the week at 90, yet the lowest low of 58.
Wednesday’s high: 88; low: 60
Thursday: 89; 64
A lot of sunshine looks to be associated with this cooler weather, as meteorologists have predicted a zero percent of precipitation for this week. (Although, with our sporadic Texas weather, this is subject to change.)
This lowering of temperatures welcomes the oncoming autumn, which officially started around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, and will last almost exactly three months, as the winter solstice — marking the first day of winter and also the darkest day of the year — will be on Dec. 23, 2013, at 12:21 p.m., according to the 2013 Farmers Almanac and the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Most of the leaves on our many trees will begin to turn shades of orange, brown, yellow and red, as autumn is officially here.
Fun-filled fact:
If there have ever been those out there — and I’m sure there are — who have wondered why sometimes we say ‘fall,’ when other times some say ‘autumn’:
In Britain, ‘autumn’ has been used as the name of the season since the 1300s approximately, according to historians.
However, quite commonly in America, you hear the season referred to as ‘fall,’ which is still a valid term for the season’s name, used officially along with autumn for more than 300 years in Britain — from approximately the 1500s to about 1800 – and sometimes even now.
The shortened name ‘fall’ was literally derived from the old English phrase, “the fall of the leaf.” However, after about the start of the 19th century, ‘autumn’ became the standard term used for the season in Britain, even though late in the 17th century and on, the phrase-shortened ‘fall’ had become and remains standard in America.
By Josh Allen, eParisExtra
This article was written referencing weather statistics and predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, Farmers Almanac and www.Weather.com (The Weather Channel) — – updated at 11:30 p.m. Sunday.