October has arrived, and this is the month when autumn really starts to make itself known.
While astronomical autumn began with the equinox in September, October is often when the changes around us become much easier to spot.
The evenings are getting darker, temperatures are beginning to fall and the landscape around Enniskillen and County Fermanagh will gradually take on those familiar autumn colours.
But what else changes during October?
Here are some of the signs of autumn to look out for over the coming weeks.
The leaves begin to change colour
One of the most obvious changes during October is happening above our heads.
The green leaves we’ve seen throughout spring and summer gradually begin turning shades of yellow, orange, red and brown.
As the days become shorter and temperatures cool, deciduous trees reduce their production of chlorophyll — the pigment responsible for the green colour of leaves.
As the green fades, other colours that were already present in the leaves become visible. Certain weather conditions can also encourage some of those beautiful red autumn colours.
Exactly when trees change can vary depending on the species, location and weather, so don’t expect everything to turn orange overnight!
The days keep getting shorter
You’ll probably already have noticed this one.
We lose a considerable amount of daylight at this time of year, with sunrise getting later and sunset getting earlier as October progresses.
By the end of the month, the evenings will feel particularly different because the clocks go back.
That happens on Sunday 25 October 2026, when the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time.
It means an extra hour in bed that Sunday morning — but also noticeably earlier darkness in the evenings.
Temperatures start heading down
October doesn’t automatically mean cold weather every day.
We can still get pleasantly mild and sunny autumn days, but the general direction is towards cooler conditions as we move further away from summer.
The nights become longer, the Sun sits lower in the sky and there is less solar energy available to warm the ground.
Those longer nights also give temperatures more time to fall, so chilly mornings become increasingly possible.
Depending on the weather conditions, October can also start bringing the possibility of our first frosty mornings.
Mist and fog become more noticeable
Those cool autumn mornings can bring another familiar sight around Fermanagh — mist and fog.
Longer nights allow the ground and the air close to it to cool. When moist air cools enough, tiny water droplets can form and remain suspended near the surface.
With our lakes, rivers and generally damp landscape, misty autumn mornings can certainly produce some beautiful scenes around Fermanagh.
Sometimes that mist disappears fairly quickly after sunrise, while on other days grey and murky conditions can linger for much longer.
There’s plenty happening in the hedgerows
Autumn isn’t only about falling leaves.
Look around hedgerows and woodland and you’ll find plenty of other colour.
Rosehips, sloes and other fruits and berries can all be found during autumn, while nuts and seeds provide an important food source for wildlife preparing for the colder months ahead.
They might not get as much attention as the changing leaves, but they’re another great sign that the seasons are moving on.
Fungi begin appearing
October is also a particularly good time to notice fungi.
Cooler and wetter autumn conditions are ideal for the fruiting bodies of many fungi, which is why mushrooms and other fascinating shapes suddenly seem to appear on woodland floors, around trees and even across lawns.
They come in an enormous variety of shapes, sizes and colours.
Some species can be poisonous, however, so it’s best not to eat or handle fungi unless you know exactly what you’re dealing with.
Wildlife starts preparing for winter
We’re not the only ones noticing that winter is getting closer.
Autumn brings changes in behaviour for wildlife too.
Squirrels can be seen gathering and storing nuts, while some animals spend autumn building up the energy reserves they’ll need during the colder months.
The birds we see can change as well.
Some summer visitors leave the UK and Ireland for warmer climates, while other species arrive from colder northern regions to spend the winter here.
Even our gardens can begin to feel different as insects become less noticeable and wildlife adapts to the falling temperatures and reduced daylight.
October is a month of change
Perhaps that’s what makes October such an interesting month.
At the beginning of October, we can still occasionally get days that feel surprisingly mild and bright.
But by the time we reach Halloween, the landscape can look completely different.
Trees are changing colour, leaves are covering the ground, daylight is disappearing earlier and those chilly, misty mornings are becoming increasingly familiar.
So next time you’re out for a walk around Enniskillen or elsewhere in County Fermanagh, have a look around.
Autumn is changing the landscape a little bit every day.
And over the next few weeks, there’s going to be plenty to see.
