Fall officially arrives Tuesday, and for once, the weather may actually begin to look a little more like the season on the calendar.
After another stretch of oppressive late-summer heat across South Arkansas, temperatures are forecast to back off somewhat during the middle of the week. It will not exactly be sweater weather, but compared with the upper 90s and heat indices around or above 100 degrees that the area has endured, the change should be noticeable.
Astronomical fall begins at 7:05 p.m. CDT Tuesday, September 22, when the autumnal equinox marks the official transition from summer to fall in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to the National Weather Service forecast for Warren, Tuesday is expected to remain warm with a high near 93 degrees. The bigger change arrives Wednesday, when the high is forecast around 89, followed by a high near 87 Thursday and around 89 Friday.
Nighttime temperatures should provide an even more noticeable break. The forecast calls for lows dropping into the low 60s Wednesday and Thursday nights, a significant improvement after weeks of persistent summer heat.
The National Weather Service in Little Rock says a cold front moving across Arkansas will bring cooler air that should remain in place through much of the week. Temperatures are expected to move closer to normal, although much of the state will still remain somewhat warmer than average for late September.
There is, however, one thing South Arkansas desperately needs that does not appear to be arriving in meaningful amounts: rain.
The Warren forecast includes only limited precipitation chances, and rainfall associated with the front is expected to be on the lighter side, offering little relief from the ongoing dry conditions. Better rain chances may return late in the weekend or early next week, but it remains too early to know whether those chances will produce anything substantial.
Dry conditions remain a concern across Arkansas, with elevated wildfire danger continuing in parts of the state and burn bans in effect in a number of counties.
So, no, fall is not arriving with jackets, fireplaces and 50-degree afternoons.
But after highs flirting with 100 degrees, 87 may feel pretty good.
Now, if we could just get some rain.
