On the morning of Monday, September 7, 2026, meteorologist and forecaster Natalya Didenko reported that the weather in Ukraine through Thursday, September 10, inclusive, will be determined by an anticyclone — a high atmospheric pressure field that, in her words, comes "with usually great weather." "If they offer you a short vacation right now, don't even think about it — say yes," the specialist advised on her Facebook. In her assessment, over the coming days "there will be a lot of sun during the daytime hours," and most regions will see warming. Based on these signs, Didenko concluded that "a young Indian summer is currently reigning in Ukraine."
What is a "young Indian summer" and when does it occur
According to the forecaster, a "young Indian summer" often occurs in the period from August 28 to September 11. The expert reminded that the familiar "classic Indian summer" arrives later — in October, however, at the end of August and the beginning of September one can also enjoy "beautiful velvet weather." Thus, this refers to a warm continuation of meteorological summer that stretches into the calendar autumn and creates the feeling of summer weather already after the official start of September.
How the onset of meteorological autumn is determined in Ukraine
According to data from specialists at the Zakarpattia Regional Center for Hydrometeorology, meteorological autumn is recorded based on a sustained change in air temperature, after which the air becomes cooler and the daylight hours become noticeably shorter. At the same time, as emphasized by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center (UkrGMC), as of September 7, 2026, meteorological autumn in Ukraine has not yet arrived. Experts also noted that "prolonged periods of high temperatures in September and October shift the onset of meteorological winter to later dates."
Contradictory data
The question of terminology remains debatable. On the one hand, in the dictionary of meteorological terms of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, "Indian summer" appears as a separate period, and forecasters actively use this concept in public comments, including in the form of "young Indian summer." On the other hand, Natalya Ptukha, head of the UkrGMC media relations department, previously explained to RBC-Ukraine that in meteorology as such "there is no such definition as 'Indian summer'." In her words, it usually refers to a period of warm weather that comes after an autumn cooling, and a "young Indian summer" some indeed may call the warm continuation of meteorological summer during the calendar autumn. That is, the same weather phenomenon is described both as a "young Indian summer" and as a "classic Indian summer" after the cooling, while the term has no official status. An additional inconsistency concerns the dates: calendar autumn in Ukraine began on September 1, however, by meteorological criteria, according to UkrGMC data, as of September 7, 2026, it has not yet arrived.
How autumn is changing in Ukraine
Experts state that today autumn in Ukraine is "changing its face." According to the regional hydrometeorology center, it has "become long, mild, but at the same time sharp in its final chords." This means that warm September periods, such as the current "young Indian summer," are becoming more characteristic, and the transition to sustained cold weather is shifting to later dates. For residents, this practically means that even after the official start of autumn, in the coming days one can expect a lot of sun, warming, and "velvet" weather, which forecasters recommend using for outdoor recreation.
