When is the first day of fall 2026 in California?
The Dog Days of Summer are fading and fall is on the horizon with its pumpkin spice flavors and the promise of cooler days. But when does summer officially end? In California, where hot weather often lingers and the school year begins long before autumn arrives, the change of seasons is not always obvious.
So, when is the first day of fall? When does summer end? Here's what to know.
When is the first day of fall?
Meteorological fall starts on Sept. 1, according to AccuWeather .
Astronomical fall—the day the northern and southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight before winter, arrives a bit later.
When is the 2026 autumnal equinox?
The autumnal equinox falls on Tuesday, Sept. 22, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac . It will occur at 5:05 p.m. PDT in California and will occur at the same time worldwide.
How is meteorological fall different from astronomical fall?
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information , astronomical seasons are defined by the Earth's orbiting position in relation to the sun.
Meteorological seasons are dictated by the Earth's temperatures, per USA TODAY .
The Earth's tilt and the sun's alignment over the equator shape the equinoxes and solstices. The Earth is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees on its axis. Because of this tilt, there are times when part of our planet leans toward the sun while the other part of the planet faces away, according to NCEI.
The Earth's elliptical orbit brings our planet closer or farther to the sun, depending on where the planet is in its 365.24-day cycle. These factors determine when the astronomical seasons fall, and each season varies in length from 89 to 93 days. And because of these variations in length, meteorological seasons were created.
So basically, meteorological fall begins on September 1, and astronomical fall 2026 starts with the autumnal equinox on September 22.
The days will get shorter in the fall. When will they get longer again?
The equinox is the time of year when the length of the day is changing most rapidly, according to Daylight Hours ; about 3 to 4 days after the equinox the day length comes the closest to being exactly 12 hours.
As the season progresses California will start seeing less daylight.
The sun will start rising later, and nightfall will arrive earlier, making the days feel shorter and the nights longer.
When is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice is on Dec. 21, 2026. At that point daylight hours will start getting longer again.
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: When is the first day of fall 2026 in California?
