Fall is just weeks away in the US, which means the now green leaves will turn warm shades of orange, yellow and red and an interactive map predicts the best times to see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles .
Although the fall foliage will make its way across the nation, New England is famous for the annual show and the map predicts October 10th will be the best time to see it – this is also the peak for New York, New Jersey and the Great Lake States.
Midwestern states will see fall colors beginning October 24, but those in the South will have to wait until November 7.
On November 21, however, only the southern regions of Texas and Florida will be home to foliage, while the rest of the US has either had its leaves brown or has fallen off the trees since then.
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The predictive map uses a complex algorithm that computes over 37,000 pieces of information to predict when the fall peak will occur at the county level. On October 10, the highest viewership is for Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey
The predictive map uses a complex algorithm that computes over 37,000 pieces of information to accurately predict when the fall peak will occur at the county level.
And while it’s not 100 percent accurate, it’s a tool used by avid leaf scouts to plan their annual trips to see the spectacular colors across the country.
The map, which can be viewed at SmokyMountains.com, was created by David Angotti.
Angotti told DIYPhotography the idea came about in 2013 when visitors to the Smoky Mountains asked when the leaves would change.
By October 17th, much of New England will have mostly dead leaves. However, the stunning fall colors continue to creep down the US. While not 100 percent accurate, it’s a tool used by avid leaf scouts to plan their annual trips to see the spectacular colors across the country
Midwestern states will enjoy fall colors beginning October 24th. These include Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. The green in the map highlights trees that haven’t changed color yet, and brown means the peak is no longer visible, but the two tones of red indicate ‘near the peak’ and ‘peak’.
“Based on these questions, we created the first version of the Fall Leaf Map and have consistently improved it every year,” he continued.
The green on the map highlights trees that haven’t changed color yet, and brown means the peak is no longer visible, but the two shades of red indicate ‘near the peak’ and ‘peak’.
However, data has shown that climate change is triggering an early fall in the US and other parts of the world.
In northern Maine, where peak conditions typically arrive in late September, rangers reported less than 70 percent color change and moderate leaf fall in 2021.
The reason climate change can be bad for fall foliage has a bit to do with plant biology.
When fall arrives and day length and temperature drop, the chlorophyll in a leaf breaks down, causing it to lose its green color.
Most of the nation will be well past peak sightings by the start of November, but other states such as Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida will only begin to experience the changing colors see
The green gives way to yellows, reds and oranges that make for dramatic fall displays.
Dry summers can stress trees and cause their leaves to miss fall color altogether, and this year the US and parts of the world have been plagued by intense drought.
Paul Schaberg, a research plant physiologist at the US Forest Service based in Burlington, Vermont, told AFP in 2021, “If climate change is going to result in significant drought, it means trees are going to die, and a lot of trees will just let theirs do it.” Leaves fall.
“Severe droughts that really mean the tree just can’t function – that doesn’t improve the color.
The leaves are changing to allow the trees to protect themselves from the harsh, freezing temperatures.
If they didn’t lose their leaves, the vegetation would freeze during the winter months, eventually damaging and even killing the tree.
By the end of November, the southern regions of Texas and Florida will likely have their stunning foliage
The leaves are changing to allow the trees to protect themselves from the harsh, freezing temperatures. If they didn’t lose their leaves, the vegetation would freeze during the winter months, eventually damaging and even killing the tree
The tree first slowly closes the veins that carry water and nutrients to and from the leaves, with a layer of new cells forming at the base of the petiole, protecting the branches and body of the tree.
Water and nutrients then stop flowing to the leaf, allowing it to die and fall off.
Bournemouth-based teacher Andy Brunning, author of Compound Interest, explains that the compounds – chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids – are present in the leaves year-round but are more noticeable at this time of year.
Chlorophyll is the chemical compound responsible for the green coloring of most leaves.
The chemical is stored in chloroplasts in leaf cells and is an essential part of photosynthesis, where plants use the sun’s energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars.
Plants need warm temperatures and sunlight to produce chlorophyll, so by the onset of fall and nightfall, chlorophyll production slows and the existing levels of chemical compounds in the leaves are broken down.
As a result, other compounds present in the leaves, such as carotenoids and flavonoids, are more noticeable, resulting in a color change.
The colorful connections of autumn leaves
It takes a few moving parts for the foliage process to be successful
Green: Chlorophyll gives plants their green color.
It dominates most of the year, but less is produced when there is less light during the day.
Yellow: Carotenoids and flavonoids are always present in the leaves, but emerge in the fall and turn the leaves yellow. An example of a carotenoid is lutein, which makes egg yolks yellow.
Orange: Carotenoids contribute orange colors. Beta carotene is one of the most common carotenoids in plants and is responsible for the orange color of carrots.
Red: Anthocyanin synthesis is boosted by the onset of fall, creating the red and magenta hues in the leaves
