(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
September 22, 2019 - 3:30 PM
VERNON - Nearly one month after pumpkin spice everything hit coffee shop menus and filled the candle isles of local supermarkets, fall is finally around the corner.
The autumnal equinox, a point in time when day and night have reached a balance, is Monday, Sept. 23. Leaves will start to change colour and the days will continue to get shorter and colder despite warmer than usual temperatures this September.
Environment Canada is calling for a high of 15 C and periods of rain for the first day of fall, with temperatures to remain in the mid-to-high teens throughout the week. The chance of showers persists for the first week of fall, save Tuesday, the warmest day of the week in the forecast at 20 C, and Friday at 15 C.
While the equinox is meant to denote a period of equal night and day, there will be a few extra moments in favour of daylight. The sun will rise in the Okanagan at 6:45 a.m. and set at 6:52 p.m. Monday.
Weather aside, for many communities, it’s a beautiful time of year and the Okanagan is no exception. According to Amy Watkins of hellobc.com, both Vernon and Osoyoos are two fall destinations that all should see.
Vernon gains that honour due to its proximity to Shuswap salmon runs and the Okanagan harvest, Watkins writes. Osoyoos, on the other hand, is the place to experience the desert in autumn.
Nelson, Powell River, Smithers, 100 Mile House, Fort Langley, Fernie and Duncan also made Watkins’ list.
According to a report from State University of New York's College of Environment Science and Forestry, the beautiful change in colour is attributed to the cessation of a leaf’s food-making process signalled by the shorter days and colder weather. The chlorophyll breaks down and the green hues fade to make way for the vibrant yellows and oranges. Other chemical changes can occur, the report reads, which causes the red and purple hues found on some trees.
In the end, spring already sprung, summer has gone and fall will, well, fall.
So, if you haven’t already seen pumpkin spice grub and Halloween decor, rest assured that you soon will.
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