Why Fall in South Dakota Is Confusing

Fall-like weather is here, which means South Dakotans are about to enter that strange time of year when nobody knows what to wear. The morning might feel like fall. By afternoon, it could still feel like summer. And by evening, you're wondering why you didn't bring a jacket.

It's the season of checking the forecast several times a day and still feel confused.

You leave the house in jeans and a sweatshirt because it's chilly outside. By lunchtime it warms up and you're wishing that you put on shorts. Then the temperature drops again, and suddenly the sweatshirt seems like a pretty good idea.

Fall also changes the way we plan our weekends. Summer is all about getting outside, grilling and trying to squeeze every last bit of daylight out of the day. Fall brings a different kind of motivation: finding a pumpkin patch, taking a drive to look at the leaves or convincing yourself that this is the year you'll actually enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the couch.

And then there's the food.

As soon as September rolls around, people get reacquainted with chili, soup, apple cider and anything involving pumpkin spice. A perfectly normal coffee suddenly needs to taste like the smell of a candle, if that makes any sense.

The best part of fall in South Dakota might be that brief stretch when everything feels just right. The air is crisp, the leaves start changing, and you can sit outside without sweating or worrying about frostbite. Of course, that stretch never lasts as long as we'd like.

One day we're enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon in Sioux Falls, and the next we're digging through the closet for a heavier coat. But that's South Dakota. We don't really get a long transition between seasons.

We get a few perfect days, a couple of weather surprises and just enough time to remember where we put the winter coats.