Halloween candy has been on store shelves for days and the corn harvest is nearly over. But the first full day of fall arrived Monday, offering hope to Kansans ready for cooler temperatures.

LawrenceÂ’s high temperature for the day of the autumnal equinox was 78 degrees, according to 6News meteorologist Ross Janssen.

Temperatures for the rest of the week will hover around 70 degrees, except for Wednesday when a high of 82 degrees is expected, Janssen said. The long-range forecast calls for a fairly typical fall.

So far, the average temperature in Lawrence for September is an above-average 87 degrees, boosted by hot days at the beginning of the month.

Precipitation in 2002 has been even more of an aberration. As of Monday, the Lawrence area had received just 22.1 inches of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka. The average is 27.9 inches.

The lack of rain hurt local farmers, whose crops dried in the blistering sun, said Matthew Vajnar, grain merchandiser at Ottawa Co-op Assn.

ÂItÂ’s a pretty disappointing crop,Â- he said. ÂItÂ’s about half of what we saw last year for yields.Â-

About 100,000 bushels of corn come into the co-op each day during harvest compared with 200,000 last year, Vajnar said.

The corn crop is about 90 percent harvested and Vajnar guessed soybeans would start coming in later this week. He said the harvest would probably be finished by Oct. 20, leaving farmers to hope for cooler, wetter conditions.

But itÂ’s not just those who make their living from the land who are looking forward to sweater weather.

Watching her children play Monday afternoon in South Park, Debbie Payne, Lawrence, was quick to name her favorite part of the season.

ÂIn Lawrence, the trees,Â- she said. ÂThe leaves turn colors here so nice.Â-