First Day of Autumn 2015

Written By:  Andrew Eide

This year the first day of Autumn falls on September 23rd. When things like this are listed on our calendar they are based more on tradition than on facts.

As you know we used to live in California, in the Northern part of the State, in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the East Bay side of San Francisco Bay, and a bit further inland to the East than Oakland, in what they call the San Ramon Valley, in the City of Concord. We have lived in Duluth, Georgia, in the Atlanta Metro area since September 2012.

People who have never lived in California believe we have fantastic weather, lots of sunshine, and all our trees remain green and flowers are blooming, all year long. Take it from me, a born and raised, third generation native Californian, that we don’t always have good weather, we don’t always have sunshine, and we don’t have green trees and blooming flowers all year long.

I assure you that in all the places I have lived in California that most trees change colors and lose their leaves in Autumn. I assure you that we have a Winter season here in California. I assure you that we experience freezing temperatures even here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Before moving back to the San Francisco Bay Area in August 2009 I lived in the City of Redlands, California, which is located about 50 miles East of Los Angeles. It is North of Riverside and East of San Bernardino, where Interstate 10 & Interstate 215 cross. During the Summer months temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 80 percent humidity, or higher, was common. During January 2007 we actually had about a half inch of snow fall on the ground.

Where we live now in Duluth, Georgia, we have summer temperatures in the 90's with high humidity. Today is September 14th and this is the 3rd day we are in the mid-70's with humidity in the 50 percent range.

So I welcome you to the month of September 2015 and I hope you enjoy the first day of Autumn on September 23rd.