EARLY AUTUMN is one of those tricky times when the weather is still quite unpredictable. Early autumn in England is a time of transition, as the weather shifts from warm summer days to cooler, wetter conditions. This changeover period is notoriously difficult to predict, as weather systems become more variable—one day may be mild and sunny, with temperatures reaching 20°C, while the next could see grey skies, blustery winds and driving rain. These dramatic swings are caused by the jet stream weakening and meandering during September. With high and low pressure systems constantly moving over the British Isles, forecasters struggle to anticipate day-to-day weather beyond a few days out. Sunny spells and scattered showers are common, sometimes with hail or thunder mixed in. By the end of September, cooler northern air masses usually establish more persistent rain and gales. But until winter sets in, early autumn remains a fickle time when sunny T-shirt weather can quickly morph into a howling gale with lashing rain. Such is the capricious variability of England’s autumn weather transition that Met Office meteorologists caution checking forecasts hourly, lest the sunny mornings rapidly deteriorate into stormy, windswept afternoons. Here in London, we’re all keenly watching the forecasts for any windows of warmer weather to briefly return. Café terraces quickly fill with people bundled in light jackets, soaking up the fleeting sunshine. Parks flush green again as trees delay their autumnal colors, deceived by the intermittent warmth. These spells of fair weather amidst the seasonal transition offer a welcome reprieve from the relentless winter rains ahead. For a few golden days, it can feel like summer has briefly returned, though we know better than to trust the skies for long. Any sunshine is a temporary gift to be enjoyed before the inevitability of autumn’s chill and damp and we have learned to seize the good days when they come. Locals accept that damp, chilly conditions await, but hope for a few final balmy days before winter sets in. And when they do, we have the perfect outfit inspiration for the occasion: a soft cropped cashmere sweater and a chic plank midi skirt for wandering along the city streets in the last of the good early autumn days…
