As the days grow shorter and the weather turns colder, many people think they're in the clear and safe from tornadoes. However, the changing weather specifically makes us more vulnerable to tornadoes. Today's severe weather is a hard reminder that we're in the second peak of tornado season.

Forget everything you hear and read about today's astronomical significance, as today is not the first day of fall. Today marks the autumnal equinox. Fall began three weeks ago, and any other opinion is wrong.

So long, summer 2014; we hardly knew you. It looks like tomorrow might be the last day of thermometer summer for much of the eastern United States. A cold front marching eastward will bring with it a line of storms followed by a long stretch of blissful autumnal crispness. Hallelujah.