With that in mind, Smokymountains.com compiled a neat interactive feature predicting when and where the leaves will be at their most vibrant hues of yellow, red, orange, and brown. If you’re at all inclined to hang out in the woods this fall, here’s your prime resource.
Citing a plethora of data points collected by historical forecasts, the map uses an algorithm to produce a county-by-county look at when fall colors will peak across the country. Here’s the breakdown:
September 17
Where: Peak arrives in areas of western states such as Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico; northern Minnesota and parts of the Michigan peninsula; and portions of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
September 24
Where: Even larger expanses of the same states will see peak along with additional places like northern Pennsylvania, a patch of northern Texas, northern Wisconsin, the eastern reaches of North Dakota, and eastern areas of Washington and Oregon. Meanwhile, some areas that experience peak earlier may reach beyond peak.
October 1
Where: Portions of even more states will enjoy the height of the beauty, including North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Kansas, Nevada, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
October 8
Where: By now, most of the continental US will be either at peak or past peak. Much of Oregon, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Delaware will enjoy ideal leaf viewing.
October 15
Where: California, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina get in on the action at last.
October 22
Where: While most of the country will be beyond peak at this point, most of California and many southern states will finally reach peak from here through the end of October.
According to data scientist Wes Melton, you can expect fall colors to be at their radiant best quicker than usual this year. “Due to the heavier precipitation throughout the summer months, this year’s leaf model is predicting an earlier-than-typical peak fall,” he said in a statement.
Source: Fall Foliage Map 2017: Where to See the Autumn Leaves Change – Thrillist
