Indian summer

Sometimes autumn stays warm.

This is called an Indian summer. It is warm and dry. It often happens in October. The air can feel hazy. Some people say it happens after the first frost. This warm weather does not last forever. It is a short gift from the sun. Do you like warm fall days?

An Indian summer is a special time of year. It is a period of warm and dry weather. This often happens during autumn.

Some people say it starts after the first frost. A frost is when water on the ground turns to ice.

Many people use this name in North America. We do not know exactly why it has this name. It may be because of Native Americans. They lived in the areas where this weather happens. Some say they first told Europeans about it. Others think it describes the hazy air during their hunts.

Other parts of the world have different names. In Germany, people call it "old women's summer." In Ireland, they call it the "little autumn of the geese." This is because geese are fat enough to eat by then.

In South America, it is called "veranito." This means "little summer." This weather is a short and lovely change.

An Indian summer is a special kind of weather. It is a period of warm and dry days that happens during autumn. This weather usually occurs in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Some people believe a true Indian summer does not start until after the first killing frost. A killing frost is a frost that is cold enough to damage plants. This warm spell is not a permanent change to the season. It is just a short, lovely break from the cooling air.

Scientists and historians have many ideas about how this weather works. Weather historian William R. Deedler says it is a spell of warm, quiet, and hazy weather. This often happens in October or November. Some people even see these warm spells as late as December or January. In some places, like New England, it is a well-known event. Other people say it can happen across most of the United States. It can even occur along the Pacific coast.

No one knows exactly where the name came from. A researcher named Albert Matthews searched through old American books to find the answer. He found a reference from 1851. Another writer named J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur wrote about it around 1778. He described the character of autumn in an essay. Some think the name relates to Native Americans. They may have lived in these regions first. Perhaps they described the warm, hazy air to Europeans.

Many different cultures have their own names for this warm time. In Germany and many Slavic countries, it is called "old women's summer." In Ireland, people call it the "little autumn of the geese." This is because geese are fat enough to eat by that time. In Spain, it is known as the "little summer of the quince tree." In South America, it is called "veranito," which means "little summer." In Turkey, people call it "pastrami summer" because November is a great time to make that meat.

This special weather even shows up in books and music. Many authors use the term to describe a time of recovery or happiness. For example, William Dean Howells wrote a novel called Indian Summer in 1886. Musicians have also used the name for many songs. The band The Doors recorded a song called "Indian Summer" for their 1970 album. Even board games use the name to set a theme. It is a famous idea that people all over the world recognize.

An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm and dry weather. This phenomenon often occurs during autumn in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Some sources suggest a true Indian summer does not begin until after the first "killing frost." A killing frost is a freeze that is cold enough to damage plants. This weather is not a permanent change to the season. Instead, it is a short spell of warmth that arrives as the year cools down.

Weather historian William R. Deedler provides a specific way to define this event. He describes it as any spell of warm, quiet, and hazy weather. These periods typically occur in October or November. However, Deedler noted that some people report warm spells as late as December or January. The geographic reach of this weather is also debated. Some writers use the term only for weather in New England. Others state that it happens across most of the United States, including the Pacific coast.

The exact origins of the name remain a mystery. In the late 19th century, lexicographer Albert Matthews searched early American literature for the answer. He found an early reference dating to 1851. He also found the phrase in an English letter from 1778. However, he believed that English use was just a coincidence. Later research pointed to an essay written by J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur around 1778. This essay described the character of autumn in the United States. It likely implied the common usage of the expression we use today.

There are several theories about why the term was chosen. It may be called an Indian summer because it was first noted in regions inhabited by Native Americans. It is also possible that Native Americans first described these conditions to Europeans. Some suggest the name comes from the warm, hazy conditions during autumn hunts. The naturalist John James Audubon wrote about this in his 1820 journal. He described it as an "extraordinary phenomenon of North America." He noted a constant, smoky atmosphere that irritated his eyes. Audubon suspected the smoke came from Indians firing the prairies of the West.

Many different cultures have unique names for this autumn warmth. In Germany, Austria, and several Slavic countries, it is called "old women's summer." In Bulgaria, people call it "gypsy summer" or "poor man's summer." In Serbia, it is known as "Miholjsko leto" after the feast of Saint Michael. Ireland calls it the "little autumn of the geese" because geese are fat enough to eat then. Spain refers to it as the "little summer of the quince tree." In South America, the phenomenon is called "Veranico" or "little summer." In these regions, the weather is often linked to the occurrence of El Niño.

In the United Kingdom, the term was used in the early 19th century. An article in The Guardian in 1837 explained the phrase to British readers. The UK Met Office defined it in 1916 as a warm, calm spell in autumn. While it is used in North America, early 20th-century climatologists used it specifically for the American version. The term is also used metaphorically in literature. Van Wyck Brooks used it to suggest a period of depleted strength. William Dean Howells used it in his 1886 novel to mean a time of recovering happiness.

This concept has influenced many forms of media and art. The term appears in numerous book titles, such as those by John Knowles and Alex von Tunzelmann. It is a popular theme in music as well. The band The Doors recorded a song called "Indian Summer" for their 1970 album. Many other artists, including Joe Dassin and U2, have used the name. Even board games, like the one designed by Uwe Rosenberg, use the theme. From folklore to modern pop culture, the idea of a sudden, warm autumn remains a powerful image.