LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — October has arrived! It's time to get out to the pumpkin patch, pull out the sweaters, and wait for the trees to change into a vivid color display all across the Natural state.
Every autumnal display is different from year to year. Some years are filled with powerful pigments that capture your eyes. However, other years can be disappointing with dull and brown leaves.
Why do the leaves change color during autumn?
First, let’s focus on what causes the leaves to change color as summer fades into autumn.
The science behind leaf colors involves how the trees produce their food through the process of photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis, which produces sugar in the leaves. This chemical gives the leaves their green color throughout the spring and summer months.
However, as daylight decreases less chlorophyll is produced and other colors begin to appear. Carotenoids, which produce the orange or yellows, dependent on the tree species, will then overtake the fading chlorophyll.
Some trees produce vibrant reds as they have a high sugar concentration. This is common in maples and sweetgums. A perfect scenario must be met to showcase more reds than yellows.
What causes some leaves to have more vibrant colors than others?
Fall colors are impacted by three main factors: sunshine, temperatures, and rainfall.
Sunny days allow the trees to produce more sugar. More sugar then results in vibrant colors. However, too many cloudy and rainy days produce less sugar and therefore cause a duller or more muted display.
We have had plenty of sunshine over the past weeks, and more is expected going through October. This all leads to plenty of sugar production in the leaves.
What could cause leaves to be less colorful?
The transition from summer into fall means warm days, but the nights get much cooler. Temperatures are critical for the best color potential.
Warm days lead to an abundance of sugar making in the trees. Cool nights are needed for the sugar to stay in the leaves. We don’t want frosty and freezing nights, because that can zap the color quickly. A hard freeze can make the leaves turn brown.
This year temperatures have been unseasonably warm during the days, but we did have some cool nights into the 40s and 50s early in September, and more in early October.
Another thing that can make the leaves go brown, is the lack of rainfall. This year we had plenty of rain in the Spring and early Summer. Once we entered into August the faucet started to turn off.
As of October 3, a drought has developed across most of Arkansas. These conditions will likely place stress on some trees and will cause them to start changing a week or two earlier than average. Also, it is likely for the leaves to fall sooner.
One last issue that ruins a colorful canvas, is wind. A windy day can rip the leaves off quickly and end the leaf-viewing season.
This year there are a lot of factors working in favor of a colorful display. The only caveat is the developing drought situation. This may cause the colors to show a little sooner than average and a shorter season of color.
When will the autumn leaves be at their peak?
Expect peak color to happen in the higher terrain of Northwest Arkansas as early as mid-October in some areas. However, most trees will wait until the end of the month.
One of the most scenic views in the state will be seen if you're traveling on Highway 7 through Pope and Newton counties. Peak color should arrive in this location between October 21 and November 2.
Here in Central Arkansas, it typically takes early to mid-November to see the peak season. The areas near Pinnacle Mountain and the Ouachitas will likely see the peak between November 3 and 17.
The rest of the state will have to wait until mid-November or later to see the peak of color.
If you have any photos of fall colors across Arkansas, we want to see them!
Be sure to join the THV11 Weather Watcher Facebook page to post all of your colorful sights!