Fall leaf peeping outlook is good in our region

Spring, summer and early autumn weather patterns appear to favor good Fall Foliage this season for leaf-looking.

Gold, orange and red colors should be vibrant with less browns than in drought years, so the Fall scenery should be good to excellent with near-normal peak times.

We associate the leaf color change with October but I’ve seen some nice early color in a few spots already driving around Cobb and Cherokee Counties. Thanks to weather patterns the peak color can sometimes hold off until early November in much of Metro Atlanta while the Georgia mountains peak in mid to late October most of the time.

As daylight grows shorter the trees respond to that (amount of sunlight) more than weather. But the change gets a boost when highs are only in the 60s and especially when we get overnight lows in the 40s.

KEY DATES ACCORDING TO THE FARMERS ALMANAC:

Georgia: Oct. 19-Nov. 4

Alabama: Oct. 19-Nov. 4

Tennessee: Oct. 12-28

North Carolina:(Inland) Oct. 12-28; (Coastal) Oct. 19-Nov. 4

South Carolina: Oct. 19-Nov. 4

AUTUMN LEAVES SONG LYRICS:

The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of red and gold I see your lips, the summer kisses The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away, the days grow long And soon, I’ll hear old winter’s song But I miss you most of all, my darlingWhen autumn leaves start to fall

Since you went away, the days grow long And soon, I’ll hear old winter’s song But I miss you most of all, my darling When autumn leaves start to fall:

https://youtu.be/ZEMCeymW1Ow

Nobody on the road Nobody on the beach I feel it in the air The summer’s out of reach Empty lake, empty streets The sun goes down alone --Don Henley, The Boys of Summer.

COLOR CHANGE OUTLOOK:

September 27th:

October 4th:

October 11th:

October 18th:

October 25th:

November 1st:

November 8th:

November 15th:

WHY GREEN? WHY CHANGE OF COLOR?

The science of color change SmokyMountains.com

The BEST colors for Fall leaf-looking happen when there is a combination of a warm spring with plenty of rain, a summer that is not too hot or too dry, warm days and cool nights in early autumn.