For pumpkin spice lovers, fall foliage is one of the most anticipated times of the year—tied with Trader Joe’s unveiling its fall food lineup, of course. Soon enough, the leaves will begin transitioning into vibrant hues of brick red, burnt orange, and golden yellow before ushering in the official start of stick season. But as any fall foliage chaser knows, timing is super tricky as Mother Nature rarely sticks to the same schedule every year. In fact, within a matter of days, an area can jump from peak to past peak. Luckily, there’s a live foliage tracker that can help predict when your area might hit peak color.
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Since 2013, SmokeyMountains.com has been using its virtual Fall Foliage Prediction Map to track the annual progressive changing of the leaves, state by state. The interactive map gives leaf predictions based on “historical temperature and precipitation, forecast temperature and precipitation, the type of tree known to be prominent in that geographic region, and the historical trends in that area,” per a statement from the tourism organization.
Additionally, the public is encouraged to submit “real-time leaf reports” of fall foliage in their area with photos, which SmokeyMountains.com takes into consideration when conducting the following year’s map.
“Similar to a weekend weather forecast, the timing of our map update is important. The backbone of the map is meteorology—temperature, moisture, sunlight and precipitation. While meteorology is most accurate immediately before an event, a forecast is more useful to travelers and end users when made in advance. With our unique blend of historical and forecast data, we are able to make a highly accurate prediction by the end of August,” says SmokeyMountains.com.
The interactive map categorizes fall foliage into seven stages: no change, minimal, patchy, partial, near peak, peak, and past peak. Users can view their region’s weekly predicted progression of fall foliage via the slide bar.
RELATED: The 6 Best U.S. National Parks to See Fall Foliage.
SmokeyMountains.com
This fall season, the northernmost most parts of the U.S. aren’t forecasted to hit “near peak” until the week of Sept. 23, including parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Maine.
However, by the following week, most of New England is expected to be near peak and/or peak fall foliage. Leaves will continue to turn red, orange, and yellow into early October, with the north half of the country falling somewhere between patchy to peak on the foliage scale.
Those in the Midwest will start to see more bursts of color around mid-October. The region is predicted to peak between Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. Around this time frame, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina will also be peaking.
Meanwhile, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia won’t experience a pop of color until early to mid-November. Peak fall foliage will hit the deep South from Nov. 11–Nov. 18, according to the map.
Although a two-month-long experience, fall foliage can take over an area fast, and if you don’t act quickly, you might miss it. Thus, it’s best to start planning your fall vacations and road trips now so you can get in as many colors as possible.