A Taste of Fall Is Coming — But Is It Really Fall Weather?

If you step outside across Rowan County Sunday or Monday, you may find yourself wondering whether Mother Nature has decided to give us an early preview of fall.

After weeks of summer heat, high humidity and heat index values frequently making it feel even hotter, a noticeable change is arriving. Afternoon temperatures will remain in the 80s, but the humidity will drop considerably. Nights will become cooler, too, with temperatures falling to around 60 degrees.

It is certainly going to feel a little like fall.

But is fall actually arriving early?

Not quite.

A Refreshing Change Arrives Sunday

The transition begins behind a cold front moving through the region this weekend.

For Rowan County, Sunday is expected to feature plenty of sunshine with a high around 84 degrees. By Sunday night, temperatures should fall to around 60 degrees.

Monday brings another sunny day with a high around 84, followed by a nighttime low around 61.

Those temperatures aren't exceptionally cold, but after our recent stretch of hot and humid weather, the difference should be very noticeable.

And temperature is only part of the story.

The Biggest Difference Will Be the Humidity

One of the main reasons Sunday and Monday should feel so comfortable is a significant drop in atmospheric moisture.

Drier air will move into the region behind the front, with dew points expected to fall into the 50s and lower 60s.

If you've followed Rowan County Weather for a while, you've probably heard me talk about dew point quite a bit during the summer. That's because dew point is one of the best measurements for determining how humid the air actually feels.

When dew points climb into the upper 60s and 70s, the air begins feeling increasingly muggy and uncomfortable.

When dew points fall into the 50s, however, the difference can be dramatic.

An afternoon temperature of 84 degrees accompanied by a dew point in the 50s feels considerably different from 84 degrees accompanied by a dew point in the lower or middle 70s.

That's the kind of change we're expecting.

Open-the-Windows Weather?

For those who have been waiting for an opportunity to give the air conditioner a break, Sunday night and Monday night may finally provide it.

With overnight temperatures around 60 to the lower 60s and much lower humidity, conditions should feel unusually refreshing compared with what we've experienced through much of the summer.

Early Monday morning could provide one of those first hints of the changing seasons — cool enough that you immediately notice the difference when you walk outside.

But don't pack away the summer clothes just yet.

This Isn't the Beginning of Fall

Meteorological fall doesn't begin until September 1, while astronomical fall begins with the autumnal equinox in September.

More importantly, our weather pattern isn't making a permanent transition into fall.

This is simply a cooler and drier air mass temporarily settling into the Carolinas behind a cold front.

Late August can still produce plenty of heat in North Carolina, and temperatures can easily return to the upper 80s and 90s after a brief stretch of comfortable weather.

In other words, think of this as a preview rather than the season premiere.

Humidity Begins Returning by Midweek

The comfortable air won't stick around indefinitely.

Tuesday should remain pleasant, with mostly sunny skies and a high around 84 degrees.

By Wednesday, temperatures climb slightly to around 86 as moisture begins returning to the region.

That increasing moisture will eventually bring back the humidity and our chances for showers and thunderstorms. Rowan County currently has a chance for showers and storms Wednesday night, with the potential for a more active pattern later in the week as another cold front approaches.

So while Sunday through Tuesday will provide a break from the typical late-August humidity, summer isn't finished.

A Reminder That Fall Isn't Too Far Away

Perhaps the best part about this weekend's change is what it represents.

We're reaching the point in the year when cold fronts can occasionally push far enough south to bring noticeably cooler and drier air into North Carolina.

These breaks may only last a few days during August, but they'll gradually become more frequent as we move through September and eventually into October.

The long, hot days of summer aren't finished yet, but we're getting closer to the seasonal transition.

For now, take advantage of what could be a beautiful stretch of weather Sunday through Tuesday.

Open the windows during the cooler parts of the day. Have that morning cup of coffee outside. Get some yard work done without battling oppressive humidity.

And if you walk outside Sunday morning and think it feels a little like fall, you're not imagining it.

It's just a preview.

— Steve | Rowan County Weather