Fall begins as autumnal equinox arrives Sept. 22

The autumnal equinox arrives Sept. 22, 2026, marking the official start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The seasonal shift means daylight will keep shrinking in the Northern Hemisphere as nights grow longer and cooler, while the Southern Hemisphere moves into spring.

ABC7 Los Angeles reported that the 2026 autumnal equinox occurs at about 8:05 p.m. EDT on Sept. 22, when the center of the sun crosses Earth’s equator.

According to the report, sunlight during an equinox is distributed roughly evenly between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The word equinox comes from Latin terms associated with equal and night.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the event signals the start of shorter days and longer, cooler nights, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. In the Southern Hemisphere, the same moment marks the arrival of spring.

The report cited NASA, Royal Museums Greenwich and Adler Planetarium in explaining that the sun appears to move southward after the equinox until the winter solstice.

Leaves are expected to begin changing color from late September to mid-October, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The winter solstice is expected on Monday, Dec. 21.

ABC7 Los Angeles reported that the equinox is a global marker of seasonal change, even as its effects differ by hemisphere.