Fall Arrives Across U.S. Amid Regional Weather Swings

Fall decorations and cooler air marked the seasonal turn in the covered communities. On September 16, W-SR FFA students put cornstalks on light poles along Bremer Ave. in Waverly; Ron and Mary Beth Zelle donated the stalks, Carrie Wright reported. In central Illinois, Cheryl Lemke reported that a frontal boundary that had lingered for several days finally pushed south of the state, replacing afternoon highs in the upper 80s to upper 90s that ran 10 to 20 degrees above average with cooler, less humid air. The front touched off strong storms Sunday evening that downed trees and powerlines, particularly in Montgomery and Fayette Counties. Independence Bulletin-Journal identifies September 22, 2026 as fall’s first official day; WICS identifies Tuesday as the official beginning.