When can we expect to see fall colors?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The fall season is inching closer, and you could really feel it Thursday morning. Soon, we will be putting on those warmer clothes and start to see leaves fall and change color.

Our area starts to see color change as early as the beginning of October, with our peak fall colors arriving by the end of October. While weather does have an influence on fall color change, it’s actually the sun that has the greatest effect.

Chlorophyll is what gives leaves their green color, but as nights get longer, chlorophyll stops being produced, revealing the other pigments in leaves that have different colors.

Weather does have an influence, of course. Ideal weather for fall color involves warm, sunny days followed by cool but not freezing nights. A weather setup like the one we have seen towards the end of this week happening later in the season would be perfect to bring in those bright, vibrant fall colors.

What happens in the summer also influences the fall colors. A dry summer can delay the process of leaves changing color. If color change is delayed too much, the cold will take out the leaves before they reach peak color. Fortunately, our area is not in a drought.

As long as we don’t see intense warm periods of weather in the next month and we don’t get extremely dry, you can expect to see a good season of fall color.