We awoke to a temperature of 55 degrees F in central Missouri this morning, the first hint of autumn. After a long, hot summer (with more surely to come), it was a welcome development.
This rather sudden change is due to a dome of high pressure that slid southward from Canada, bringing dry, cool air with it. The initial pulse of autumn weather won't last long but it reassures us that, even in a warming climate, the Earth's atmosphere remains in flux, responding to the jet stream and solar cycle.
At Phillips Lake this morning, the birds were especially active and noisy in the chilly air; highlights included blue grosbeaks and prairie warblers. Except for early shorebirds, autumn migrants will not grace our region for another month or so; after all, they respond to the waning daylight, not the occasional incursion of cool weather.
