Every year, we wait patiently for weeks to see that peak color, but how does it happen?
TOLEDO, Ohio — Fall is in the air. The sun is setting earlier and earlier each day, and it feels noticeably cooler outside. Before we know it, we’ll be in awe as we gaze upon Mother Nature’s most generous colors: the colors of fall.
But what is the science behind why leaves change color?
Here in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan, we’re lucky to live in an area with spectacular fall foliage views.
At this time of year, when trees stop producing chlorophyll, you can see the colors that have been hidden in the leaves all summer. The main colors available in autumn are orange and yellow.
Then, as the days start to clear and the nights cool, another chemical produced in the leaves begins to give them the red color seen in some trees.
David Parrott, fall color forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said this summer’s relatively dry weather has affected the season’s foliage.
“This year in particular has been a bit of an interesting year because some parts of the state are drier than others,” Parrott said. “But overall this has been a pretty dry year, so basically when you’re in drought or too dry, trees get stressed. And when trees get stressed, they go dormant faster. You’re more likely to get in.”
The Toledo area is expected to receive significant amounts of rain this week, but if rain remains patchy elsewhere, the timing of peak fall foliage could change.
So what is the perfect formula for producing vibrant colors?
“We really want sunny days that aren’t too hot, but we also want cool nights, cool nights,” Parrott said. “We want cold weather, but we don’t want it to get below freezing. If it gets below freezing, the trees will freeze, the leaves will freeze, and the leaves will fall off.”
So now that the weather is getting cooler, experts predict the colors will peak within the next two weeks.
If you’d like to track how our region and other parts of the state reach their peak color, check out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Fall Color Progress Map. For Michigan, check out the latest on fall colors here.