The official end of summer is quickly nearing with a season change on the horizon, as Sept. 22 marks the astronomical start of fall as part of the autumn equinox.
Colorful foliage, apple picking, playoff baseball and much more is on the way in the coming months, and the weather will immediately fit the part once the seasons officially change on Thursday.
Current forecast models show a significant drop in temperatures from Wednesday to Thursday, with a high of 81 degrees on Wednesday dropping all the way to just 64 degrees on Thursday for the start of fall. The cooler temps are expected to stick around for Friday as well, with a high of just 63 degrees.
The autumnal equinox, also referred to as the September or fall equinox, signals the shift between summer and fall. The season will precisely arrive at 8:04 p.m. Sept. 22 for the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
The equinox marks the point when "daytime and nighttime are roughly equal in length," according to Chicago's Adler Planetarium.
The planetarium also said that the sun will rise later and set earlier throughout the month following the equinox.
As the hours of sunlight lessen, signs of fall will begin to emerge. According to the almanac, leaves start to change colors and drop due to the amount of daylight and photosynthesis, rather than weather conditions, such as temperature.
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Sept. 22 also will signify the appearance of the Chicagohenge, the city's celestial event that happens only twice a year.
According to the planetarium, the Chicagohenge showcases the point when the sun directly lines up with Chicago’s east- and west-facing streets. Chicagoans will be able to see the phenomenon until Sept. 25, the planetarium said.
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