JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Monday the 15th of September Jacksonville hit 60F for the low. This was a record for that date and well ahead of average for the first 60 degree day.  One thing it absolutely was is a early sign of Autumn in Jacksonville. 

The autumn equinox arrives on Sept. 22 at 2:19 p.m. This marks the point when the sun is directly over the equator, giving nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness across the globe, thus . From here, days gradually grow shorter and nights longer in the Northern Hemisphere.

While the equinox signals the official start of astronomical fall, it takes a few weeks for cooler air to consistently settle into Northeast Florida and South East Georgia. Climate data from the National Weather Service in Jacksonville shows when those changes typically occur:

  • First 60-degree low: Oct. 3

  • First 50-degree low: Oct. 19

  • First 32-degree day: Dec. 4

Waycross, Ga. (inland First Coast)

  • First 60-degree low: Sept. 14

  • First 50-degree low: Oct. 8

  • First 32-degree day: Nov. 12

  • First 60-degree low: Sept. 26

  • First 50-degree low: Sept. 26

  • First 32-degree day: Nov. 27

The differences highlight how geography plays a role in seasonal cooling. Inland locations such as Waycross and Lake City cool down earlier, while Jacksonville — closer to the Atlantic Ocean — warms and cools more slowly thanks to the moderating effect of the coast.