Is the Ozarks having an Indian Summer?

Warm weather well into autumn can be called many things, but one of the most common terms is “Indian Summer.” While temperatures soar to near all-time October highs, would this warm spell qualify as an Indian Summer? It’s not likely.

What is an Indian Summer?

An Indian Summer, sometimes called a second summer, is a period of unseasonably warm weather that occurs in the autumn. Some people believe a true Indian Summer does not occur until after the first frost.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac goes by the saying, “If All Saints’ (November 1) brings out winter, St. Martin’s (November 11) brings out Indian Summer. Many Europeans and British use the term “St. Martin’s Summer.”

Where did the term Indian Summer come from?

The term “Indian Summer,” has been around for hundreds of years. While it’s believed to have begun in the United States, the precise origin and time is unknown. The first time to see the term written was in 1778 in Letters From an American Farmer by the French-American soldier turned farmer Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crevecoeur.

“…Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer.”

In 1820, John James Audubon wrote in his journal about “The Indian Summer that extraordinary phenomenon of North America,” mentioning the “constant smoky atmosphere.” The smoke mentioned in both writings is likely from Native Americans setting fire to the prairies out west in the fall. This yearly burning is known as the Red Buffalo by Natives.

While we have the warmth, we need the first frost to qualify as a true Indian summer. Historically Springfield sees their first frost around October 14th .

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