Fall in Florida usually means warm temperatures instead of sweltering, severe weather threats and chances of intermittent flooding throughout the southeast, as the Atlantic hurricane season reaches its peak.
While the upper Midwest and Northern Plains states could see an earlier-than-usual fall cool-down, and pumpkin spice products are already rolling out in coffee shops and grocery stores across the country, it will stay hot and summery in Florida for at least another month or so.
The official meteorological and astronomical start of fall will both come much sooner than the cool-down in Florida. And Labor Day weekend, which is this week, marks the unofficial "end of summer" for many in the U.S., while Florida will continue to see temperatures hit the mid-eighties through September.
Here's when fall officially begins and when the cooler weather is expected to follow in Florida this year.
Get pumpkin spice at these chains: Does McDonald's have a pumpkin spice latte?
When is the official start of fall?
The meteorological start of fall 2025 is coming up soon on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
There are two equinoxes and two solstices each year. Equinoxes occur during the fall and spring and are called the autumnal and vernal equinoxes. They mark the first astronomical day of spring and the first astronomical day of fall each year.
The astronomical start of the fall season will come on Monday, Sept. 22, with the autumnal equinox.
Cool weather in Florida: Here’s what The Old Farmer’s Almanac says about fall, winter 2025
What month does it cool down in Florida? See forecasts
According to the National Weather Service, Florida usually has a day or two of cooler temperatures during the fall, but it usually doesn't start to feel noticeably and consistently cooler in Florida until the winter, in November.
This means while other states are enjoying the temperate weather, crisp air and changing leaves of fall, Floridians are stuck waiting until the winter months to feel real relief from the heat.
“The first shot of cooler, drier air is usually rather short-lived – lasting only a day or two. The real cool down doesn't usually occur until November,” The NWS website says.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac’s 60-day extended weather forecast for Florida, Floridians will still be seeing temperatures hit the 80s during September, like usual, and will cool down a bit in the last week of September.
The average temperature expected for September in Florida this year will hover around 82 degrees (which is one degree above average), and around 4.5 inches of rain is expected (which is about three inches below average for September).
Do Florida leaves change color? Where can I see fall colors in Florida?
Yes, Florida does have some leaves that change color in the fall. But don't expect to see anything south of the extreme northeastern portion of Florida, and not until mid-October.
Favorite Florida locations highlighted by GoldenAgeTrips to see fall foliage include:
Lake City, travel along Interstate 10, especially in rural areas, as you head toward Ocala
Snead, especially in Three Rivers State Park
Bristol, especially in Torreya State Park. GoldenAgeTrips calls this location, about an hour from Tallahassee, "the most famous place in Florida for seeing fall foliage."
Here are some other Florida locations that boast about fall colors:
Chipley, especially Falling Waters State Park
Wakulla Springs, especially in Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
Milton, especially in Blackwater River State Forest
Inverness, especially in the Flying Eagle Preserve
Micanopy, especially in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
How cold will Florida get this fall? See Farmer's Almanac 2025 prediction
The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts a "warmer-than-normal" autumn. A hot and dry fall is in the forecast for most of the U.S., including Florida.
Here's the Farmer's Almanac prediction for fall in Florida:
September: Avg. temp 82 degrees (1 degree above normal); 4.5 inches of rain (3 inches below normal). Expect warm weather with scattered thunderstorms early and mid-month, followed by cooler conditions with regional showers late.
October: Avg. temp 76° (near normal); 2.5 inches of rain (2 inches below normal). Mostly sunny and mild, with a few scattered showers and a cooler finish.
When is daylight saving time?
Is it too early to think about daylight saving time? Not really, we will "fall back" in just over two months.
Daylight saving time for 2025 began at 2 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 9, for "spring forward" and ends at 2 a.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 2, for "fall back."
Is it going to be a cold winter in Florida?
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac 12-month long-range weather predictions, winter in Florida is expected to be "cooler than usual and coldest in the late parts of the months of November, December, January and February," with slightly above-average rainfall.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Fall starts next week. Here's when it cools down in Florida
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