Weather update - Here's all you need to know about this week, and the rest of Autumn

Oldham’s weather appears to be welcoming autumn this week, ahead of a chilly weekend.

Meanwhile, today (Wednesday) we're also looking at some of the most interesting things about the season.

If you are planning outdoor activities this week, then the it looks like the earlier the better.

Today will be slightly warmer than yesterday, with sunny intervals set to bring the heat up to around 18°C.

Although not rivalling the warmth we have enjoyed these past few weeks, today will be the peak of the week.

By tomorrow, the cloud will be joined by light rain as temperatures drop to a maximum of 13°C and a cold night of just 7°C sets in.

The rain is set to continue from early Friday morning and get heavier through Saturday, keeping the cool days with us throughout the weekend.

By Sunday, the temperature should grow back to around 16°C as the rains leave in their place light cloud and gentle breezes and we prepare for more of the same next week.

As of September 1, the meteorological season of autumn was upon us.

This measure splits the year into four years of three months each, coinciding with the Gregorian calendar so meteorological observations are easier to make.

Those not ready to let summer go don’t have to worry, however, as the astronomical season of autumn does not start until the equinox on September 23 - when the length of night and day are equal.

This is measured according to the tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis and fluctuates between the 23rd and 22nd of September due to a year not being exactly 365 days long.

Whatever your measure, we thought it was time to get into the autumnal spirit with some interesting facts about the season.

For example, NASA calls autumn ‘aurora season’ as geomagnetic storms – like those responsible for the Northern Lights – become twice as frequent at this time of year.

It will also be the season to celebrate the birthdays of all the autumn babies, who a study in the Journal of Aging Research found were more likely to live to 100 than those born in the rest of the year.

Levels of testosterone in both women and men are highest this season, a phenomenon some scientists claim to be the result of ancient mating instincts. Interestingly, it is also the time when most singles change their relationship status to ‘In a relationship’ or ‘Engaged’ on Facebook.

As we near the equinox, you will probably hear the full moon called the ‘harvest moon’.

This refers to a time before artificial light when farmers needed this moon to guarantee a good harvest.

This harvest was explained in many interesting ways by ancient civilisations, with Greek mythology claiming autumn to be the result of the abduction of the goddess of the harvest’s daughter Persephone by Hades, god of the underworld.

When she was eventually allowed to return, she brought the crops back with her in the form of spring.

Finally, those enjoying US box sets as the cold nights draw in will regularly hear the word ‘fall’ used instead of autumn.

This is actually a shortening of ‘fall of the leaf’, a phrase common in England in the 17th century before the word ‘autumn’ from the French ‘automne’ became common usage in the 18th.

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