The Fall

Mood: Nostalgic
Song: Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie
Units of Caffeine: 3

"It's autumn in New York that brings the promise of new love.
Autumn in New York is often mingled with pain.
Dreamers with empty hands my sigh for exotic lands;
It's autumn in New York;
It's good to live again"

Last week, when I stepped out of Sea Tac airport in Seattle, the crisp, cool, smoky fall air filled my nostrils. It wasn't just a scent, but a feeling that washed over me. It was at that moment that I realized that I hadn't seen autumn in a long time - I think the last time I experienced that feeling was when I was in Vermont in 2001. It's funny that I even forgot what that feeling was like. I mean, every time October and November comes to Texas, I complain that it just isn't fall and know that I'm missing that feeling I had when living in the northeast, but up until that moment in Washington, I had quite honestly forgotten what it was that I was missing.

I spent a glorious week in that cold, fall air in the Pacific Northwest and came back to Texas; the state where summer never ends. And I don't mean that in a good way. I mean, it's October! Leaves should be falling! People should be wearing light jackets! The slight scent of winter mixed with dried leaves should be in the air! But no, I'm still wearing shorts, the air is still dry and blistering, and my air conditioning is still on 24/7. So, you can imagine my delight when I check out NOAA and see the following:

...SIGNIFICANT COOL DOWN EXPECTED ACROSS NORTH TEXAS...

A STRONG CANADIAN COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT... AND BRING AN ABRUPT END TO THE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WE HAVE RECENTLY SEEN. THE FRONT WILL TURN THE WIND TO NORTH... AND INCREASE SPEEDS TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH. TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY COOLLATE TONIGHT... WITH LOWS THURSDAY MORNING RANGING FROM THE LOWER 50S IN THE NORTHWEST TO THE MID AND UPPER 60S ACROSS THE EXTREME SOUTHERN COUNTIES. RAIN SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ALONG AND JUST BEHIND THE FRONT.

MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND MUCH COOLER AIR WILL DOMINATE NORTH TEXAS THURSDAY. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REACH ONLY THE LOWER 60S IN THE EXTREME WEST...WITH MID 60S TO MID 70S ELSEWHERE. A GUSTY NORTH WIND OF 15 TO 25 MPH THURSDAY WILL MAKE TEMPERATURES FEEL EVEN COOLER.

CLEARING SKIES...DECREASING WINDS...AND DRY AIR WILL YIELD TWO OF THE COOLEST MORNINGS SO FAR THIS SEASON WITH LOWS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING RANGING FROM THE MID 40S TO THE MID 50S. RESIDENTS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES... ESPECIALLY THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. ANY TIME SPENT OUTSIDE WILL MOST LIKELY REQUIRE A JACKET.

Huzzah!