Tomorrow we turn another page on the calendar and usher in the month of October. That also means we creep deeper into the season of fall. And lately in the Upper Peninsula, it has definitely felt more fall-like. The first three weeks of September were much more summer-like. In fact, many U.P. residents feel we finally got our official taste of summer, even if it came three months late. However, it doesn't last forever. We were affected by a major fall storm this past weekend which brought with it drastically cooler temperatures and plentiful rains. One thing about the first three weeks of this month; we hardly had any rain. Only trace amounts were picked up in certain parts of Upper Michigan. However, with this fall storm, it was like a flip of the switch. The rains fell hard and steady. The winds were brutal, even knocking out the power at my house for nearly two hours Monday night. It was definitely the first true sign of the cooler season ready to take charge of our weather for the next six months.
This time of the year, one can't even rule out the possibility of seeing snow. This past Tuesday, the daytime temperature barely rose above 40 degrees. The warmest I saw all day was 43 degrees. That was a shock to the system after we had been treated to 70's and low 80's during the previous three weeks. Temperatures that cool can change any rain we get to snow. No, the snow will not accumulate because the ground temperatures are so warm and it would take a lot of snow to start sticking. Yet, even a few flakes of snow in the air signals the beginning of the season that many Yoopers dread. The months of driving in treacherous roadways, shoveling days on end, and bundling up as tight as possible are quickly approaching. However, despite our complaints about the winter season, we always accept the fact that winter is coming and adapt. And many of us also embrace the winter season and it allows many to get out and enjoy the snow - in the form of snow shoeing, skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and ice fishing. Just because winter shows up, doesn't mean we can't learn to enjoy it, either.
Because of the warm first three weeks of September, the changing color of the leaves has slowed, too. However, seeing how quickly things have cooled down and more night are beginning to get more frosty, the leaves will start changing very fast. We should be experiencing peak leaf peeping conditions in two weeks in most northern locations in the Upper Peninsula. And the warmth won't be completely over quite yet. October usually does yield a few stretches of nice days here and there. That will allow many people to get some last minute projects done before the cold weather officially hits and doesn't leave until next spring. It's also a good time to pick up any fallen leaves that many start to accumulate on the ground. At my parents place, it's a constant battle to stay ahead of the falling leaves. Yet, I haven't known a fall season without leaves accumulating on the ground. As a kid, it was always fun to rake up a huge pile of leaves and jump into them.
The fall season is definitely one of change. Animals begin to hibernate, birds fly south, and much of the green vegetation dies off from frosty mornings. The northern hemisphere readies for the winter season. Here in the Upper Peninsula, fall is our one last moment to enjoy bare pavement and to walk in grass until several months. However, just because the seasons change, doesn't mean things get anymore ugly. With a fresh blanket of snow on the ground - that often provides the most picturesque scenery one can imagine. And you know something, it's rather neat to experience all four seasons. Imagine living in California or Florida.
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