When is the first day of fall in 2024? Plus autumn equinox, daylight saving time

Although Starbucks releases its Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier each year, the official start of fall does not change.

In 2024, the autumn equinox will occur on Sunday, September 22, at 8:43 a.m., marking the official start of fall. During the equinox, which occurs twice a year, the Earth's axis reaches a near-perfect equilibrium with the sun, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night around the world, according to the National Weather Service.

These days, fall-themed drink menus flood the market long before the equinox. Wawa, Krispy Kreme, Rita's Water Ice and 7-Eleven, for example, offer pumpkin spice and other fall flavors as early as August 1st.

If you ask internet fans, fall officially begins with “Christian Girl Autumn,” an online meme that became an annual phenomenon popularized by influencer Caitlin Covington and is often associated with women in oversized scarves, large hats, and boots amid autumn leaves. Although the meme began as a joke, it has since become a staple of online fall culture. Covington herself is known to partake in the pumpkin spice latte tradition.

What is the autumn equinox?

The autumn equinox is the point in the year when the Earth's axis is neither tilted toward nor away from the sun. This results in almost equal amounts of daylight and night around the world. Essentially, the sun is directly over the equator, creating this balance.

The term equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (means “equal”) and nox (means “night”).

Throughout history, many cultures have celebrated the equinoxes. Archaeologists have even discovered prehistoric sites where people observed the equinoxes, including Stonehenge in the UK and Newgrange in Ireland, HISTORY.com reports.

In Greek mythology, the goddess Persephone returns to the underworld at the autumn equinox, where she reunites with her husband Hades for the fall and winter months each year. When Persephone leaves the underworld in the spring, her mother Demeter restores plants and crops to growth.

While day and night are equal in length at equinoxes, solstices create the longest day in summer and the longest night of the year in winter. The summer solstice occurred this year on June 20th and the upcoming winter solstice will occur on Saturday, December 21st at 4:19 a.m.

When is the first day of autumn?

The autumn equinox, or first day of fall, occurs on Sunday, September 22nd, at 8:43 a.m.

When will the clocks go back in 2024?

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on November 3, 2024. Then the clocks will go back an hour so there is more sunlight in the morning.

Returning clocks to standard time helps keep the brain's 24-hour clock, the “circadian rhythm,” in check. The human body naturally evolved with morning light, so waking up in sunlight naturally signals the body to wake up, while the setting sun signals the body to go to sleep.

Many states, including Pennsylvania, have discussed eliminating daylight saving time and moving to permanent standard time, but none have made it law. While daylight saving time may not be what the human body is naturally accustomed to, it does allow for more sunlight in the evenings to enjoy the sun after school and work.