Fall is nearly upon us, and we're once again helping fall foliage enthusiasts across the country find the best fall color! Use our map to explore the estimated timing of fall foliage throughout the United States, allowing you to plan trips with confidence this year. Check back regularly for updates based on the latest reports gathered from hundreds of sources throughout the country. Science of Fall Colors For years, scientists have worked to understand the changes that occur in trees and shrubs during autumn.
Although we don't know all the details, we do know enough to explain the basics to help you enjoy nature's multicolored display. Three factors influence autumn leaf color: leaf pigments length of night weather. See when fall leaves will peak in 2025! View our U.S.
fall foliage map, find top leaf-peeping spots, and get tips for the best autumn color viewing. The leaves convert the energy into sugars to feed the tree. As the season changes, temperatures drop and days get shorter.
Trees get less direct sunlight, and the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down. The lack of chlorophyll reveals yellow and orange pigments that were already in the leaves but masked during the warmer months. The peak dates for fall foliage in the U.S.
vary from region to region. Colors change first in the North and in higher elevations, then spread south and to lower elevations. Ever since the leaves on the trees bloomed in the spring, they have actively been helping the tree grow.
Each leaf contains a pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the most common pigment in a leaf. It absorbs the sun's rays to turn sunlight into food and energy for the tree.
Chlorophyll is also what gives a plant its green color. Changing leaves and brilliant colors can be a breathtaking sight on fall trees, but when do leaves change color? This natural show can vary from year to year. That's because the process of leaves transitioning to fall colors relies on the right combination of temperature and moisture.
Weather is also an important part of the color change. In the fall, the temperatures get colder and there is also more rain and snow. Changes in these weather conditions can play a role in how early the leaves change and how long they keep their beautiful colors.
Extreme weather changes can also have an effect on the leaves. The color change culminates in leaf abscission, the shedding of leaves from the tree. This protective mechanism allows deciduous trees to conserve water and energy during winter.
Leaves change color in the fall due to a complex chemical process in deciduous trees, influenced by the length of daylight hours and weather conditions. Deciduous trees produce and conserve energy through photosynthesis in spring and summer, but start to break down chlorophyll in fall, revealing new colors in the leaves.