Overview

• A stretch of cool days and chilly nights has sparked early changes in parts of the Northeast, and Pennsylvania officials are considering starting weekly foliage updates earlier than planned.
• AccuWeather forecasters expect vibrant hues across much of New England and the Midwest, while heavy spring and summer rains in the Appalachians and Smokies could dull colors and trigger earlier leaf drop.
• Heat, drought and wildfire impacts are projected to limit vibrancy in much of the interior West, and an early frost risk in parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota could shorten viewing there.
• NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center projects a warmer-than-average fall with near-normal precipitation, keeping outcomes sensitive to September weather after August dryness reduced soil moisture in parts of the East.
• Experts say warm, sunny days followed by cool nights favor vivid color, the season may be brief once it begins, and tools like SmokyMountains.com’s county-level map can help time trips as peaks progress from north to south and higher to lower elevations.