Today is the Autumnal Equinox, when daylight and nighttime last an equally long time. But with high temperatures in the 90s, it won’t feel like fall until later this week. Cooler weather will bring a chance of rain. Belen De Leon has the forecast for Sept. 22, 2021.
Sept. 22 is the official start of fall, but it's not quite time for cozy sweaters and pumpkin-spiced lattes in SoCal.
As NBC4's Belen de Leon explains, the official start to the new season is the autumnal equinox, when the the sun's rays shine directly over the equator.
For Los Angeles, that occurs at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday.
"The Earth is not tilted towards nor away" from the sun, De Leon said. "This gives us an equal amount of daylight and nighttime."
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That's where the word "equinox" comes from: the Latin for "equal night."
Unfortunately for Ugg enthusiasts, the planet's position in relation to the sun won't change the high temperatures in Los Angeles Wednesday.
SoCal was projected to have some of the hottest weather in the U.S., with temperatures reaching the triple digits in Riverside and a high of 80 degrees in Huntington Beach by the coast.
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"We're going to be one of the hottest spots across the country," De Leon said.
By Thursday, however, temperatures will drop between four and eight degrees, bringing the area closer to that ideal fall weather. The cooler air will also bring a chance of rain, especially in the mountains, through the weekend.
Despite warm weather, there's already an abundance of fall activities to take part in, from visiting pumpkin patches to searching for the prettiest fall colors in California to eating autumnal treats.
And if you're one for trick-or-treating, it's never to early to start thinking about Halloween costumes.
