Overview

• SmokyMountains.com’s data model shows the earliest color in the north, with the Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes and much of the West peaking by mid-October and parts of the South and lower Midwest peaking from late October into early November.
• The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-average fall temperatures across the U.S., especially in the Southwest and Northeast, with drier odds in the Southwest and Southern Plains and wetter odds in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast.
• Forecasters say the Northeast and Appalachians may peak a bit earlier with relatively vivid color due to cooler-than-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation.
• New York’s first weekly report indicates most regions remain green, with the Adirondacks and Catskills showing the most change this weekend and less than 5% color expected in key NYC locations.
• The Farmer’s Almanac calls for color to begin by mid-September, a regional peak in the third and fourth weeks of October, a 7–10 day peak window, and highlights Letchworth State Park as a top Northeast viewing spot.