When Does Fall Start In Los Angeles

Ask ten Angelenos when fall starts, and you'll get ten answers. Someone will say September. Someone else will laugh and point at the 95-degree forecast. And one person will insist fall begins the moment Starbucks brings back the pumpkin spice latte.

They're all a little bit right. Los Angeles doesn't do seasons like the rest of the country. We do suggestions of seasons, sprinkled with traffic and sunshine.

The Official Answer Is Simple (Sort Of)

Meteorologically speaking, fall starts on September 1. That's when weather folks break the year into neat three-month chunks. Astronomically, fall begins at the autumnal equinox, which usually lands around September 22 or 23.

So if you want a technical date, there you go. But if you're asking when fall starts in Los Angeles in a feels-like way, the calendar is basically a suggestion box.

September: Summer's Greatest Hits Album

September in LA is often hot. Not "warm breeze" hot. More like "why is my car steering wheel trying to melt my hands" hot. Valleys can crank into the 90s or even low 100s, while the coast gets a slightly gentler version of the same oven.

Yes, school starts. Yes, pumpkin decorations appear. But the beach is still packed, and people are still looking for parking like it's July.

The marine layer might roll in for a cool morning, then burn off by noon. That's LA's way of saying, "Fall? Sure, let me check my calendar and get back to you."

October: The Maybe Month

October is when things get interesting. You might get crisp mornings and golden afternoons. You might also get a Santa Ana wind event that turns the city into a hair dryer.

This is the month when Angelenos start layering. A light jacket in the morning, a T-shirt by lunch, and a flannel by dinner because the temperature dropped 20 degrees while you were buying groceries.

Halloween can be toasty. I've seen kids sweat through superhero costumes before they even hit the first house. But by the end of the night, there's often a little chill in the air that makes the whole thing feel almost autumnal.

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November: The Real MVP of LA Fall

If you want the closest thing to honest-to-goodness fall, circle November. Days get shorter, mornings get cooler, and the air finally loses some of that summer swagger.

This is sweater weather for normal people. Not parka weather, obviously. We're not trying to confuse anyone. But a cozy sweater, jeans, and maybe a scarf? Absolutely doable.

November also brings a chance of rain, though LA rain is famously unreliable. It might show up like a dramatic guest star, or it might ghost us completely. When it does arrive, the whole city smells like wet pavement and possibility.

But Wait — Which Part of LA?

Los Angeles is not one climate. It's a microclimate multiverse. Santa Monica can be cool and foggy while Woodland Hills is baking like a pizza stone.

The coast might not feel like fall until late November, if at all. Inland valleys often get chilly nights by mid-October. And the mountains? They actually get fall colors, crisp air, and sometimes snow by Thanksgiving.

So when someone asks, "When does fall start in LA?" the honest answer is: Which LA?

Fall Vibes vs. Fall Weather

LA has two separate autumns. There's weather fall, which is cool air and shorter days. Then there's vibe fall, which is pumpkin patches, apple cider donuts, and wearing flannel while your forehead sweats.

Best Time to See Fall Colors near Los Angeles 2023 - Rove.me

We lean hard into vibe fall. We decorate. We bake. We light candles that smell like cedar and ambition. And we pretend that 78 degrees is "sweater weather" because we want it to be true.

If you want actual foliage, head to the local mountains or drive up to Oak Glen. It's not Vermont, but it's ours. And honestly, the traffic on the way there is very autumn-themed: slow, moody, and full of people questioning their choices.

So, When Should You Mark Your Calendar?

Here's the cheat sheet. September 1 is meteorological fall. September 22 or 23 is astronomical fall. Mid-to-late October is vibe fall. And November is when LA finally admits fall might be real.

Pick whichever date makes you happy. Or celebrate all of them. Wear a scarf in September and regret it by noon. Drink a pumpkin latte in October while the AC hums. Take a crisp November walk and pretend you don't miss the beach.

That's the beauty of fall in Los Angeles. It doesn't arrive with a drumroll. It drifts in, sneaks up on you, and then disappears for a heat wave.

The Uplifting Part

Maybe LA fall isn't a season so much as a mood. It's the first morning you need a hoodie. It's the smell of rain on dry sidewalks. It's the way the light turns gold and makes even the 405 look almost pretty.

So don't wait for the calendar to give you permission. Make your own fall. Buy the overpriced squash. Light the candle. Take the scenic drive. Wear the boots, even if your toes get a little warm.

Fall in LA is weird, unpredictable, and a little bit extra. Kind of like us. And that's exactly why we love it.