Your Fall Foliage Weekend Forecast is Here

The last weekend of September marks one of the best times of the season to head outside and check out the vibrant fall foliage. Where will the most colorful viewing conditions be found over the next few days? Read on for all the colorful details.

Fall Foliage Forecast for the Weekend

Monday, September 22, marked the official start to the astronomical fall across the U.S. Most fall foliage predictions signal that the peak viewing conditions will happen during the second or third week of October. However, some areas of the country have already begun to see the colors pop.

The early onset of the changing of the colors this year can be found across portions of the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic. The leaves started to change ahead of the normal schedule due to the weather. Widespread areas of drought have caused the trees to become stressed, resulting in the accelerated changing of the leaves. Increasing amounts of pests and disease are also to blame for the early arrival of the fall foliage season. Lastly, cooler temperatures have helped speed up the color explosion.

Areas of patchy colors are starting to pop across the central and southeastern U.S. However, these are still far from the peak viewing conditions. Leaf peepers will need to work hard to find widespread areas of color in this region. The most colorful displays will be in the higher terrains.