Fall is here, but hold off on the parka

Break out the pumpkins, colorful leaves and crisp walks: The first day of fall is here — even if it won’t feel like it for many.

The autumnal equinox, which marks the astronomical start of fall, arrives Friday at 4: 02 p. m. ET. At a precise moment each September, on either the 21st, 22nd or 23rd, the sun appears directly above the equator, marking the exact time of the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

But summer may seem like it just doesn’t want to let go. Temperatures will soar into the 80s and 90s across most of the central and eastern U. S.

Record highs are possible in the Upper Midwest, around the Great Lakes and in New England. The National Weather Service in Marquette, Mich., said some locations “may see maximum temperatures that have never been so high this late in the year.” The heat index will approach 100 degrees this weekend as far north as Illinois and Indiana.

Relief from the heat won’t come until later next week, and may be brief. While cooler weather may sweep in toward the end of September and the start of October, AccuWeather said, warmth may follow as October progresses.

In parts of the West it will feel more like winter. Heavy snow and icy cold are forecast to continue in portions of the northern Rockies and Great Basin. Up to 2 feet of snow is possible in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada by Friday, the weather service said.

Long term, above- average temperatures are forecast from October through December for nearly the entire U. S., according to the Climate Prediction Center.