Peak Fall Colors Visible in Mid-Atlantic

UPDATED October 25,2013

By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Andrew Rosenthal

 

 

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The best fall colors continue to sink into the Mid-Atlantic this weekend, with some decent colors still visible in New England. While some bright colors are visible in the Midwest and Plains, 2013 has been a slow year.

Astronomically, the first day of fall was September 22, when the sun`s perpendicular rays cross the equator. The time of daylight is getting shorter daily, and this causes a chemical reaction in the leaves that leads to the color changing. As days become cooler and shorter, the trees ability to make chlorophyll, a pigment that keeps the leaves green, decreases and causes the leaves to become red, orange and purple. Click here for more information on the science of fall foliage.

Much of interior New England is past peak now, with peak colors slipping toward the coasts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Likewise, peak colors have gone by the wayside in the northern and central Appalachians. However, this isn`t necessarily a bad thing, with the foothills awash in yellows and reds. Also, the major cities of the Mid-Atlantic, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, can expect to see plenty of bright colors this weekend as peak foliage approaches.

If you plan to go leaf-peeping in the Northeast, try to stay near the various bodies of water, were it to be the Great Lakes in New York or Long Island Sound in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Your best bet is the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) in New York, or the Merritt Parkway (Conn. Route 15) in Connecticut. The parkway runs out of New York City, and is just a few miles north of the busy Interstate 95.

In the Mid-Atlantic, look to Interstate 81 for your leaf-viewing needs. It stretches from beyond Scranton, Pa., in the north past Bristol, Tenn., in the south, comfortably covering the best fall colors in the region. Interstates 64 and 66 will take you from the busier cities of Washington and Richmond, Va., allowing you to get into the Appalachians to view the best hues of the week.

It continues to be a tough autumn across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley; a warm and dry autumn has made the changing leaves look rather dull. Peak colors can be found across much of southern Wisconsin and Iowa, with some good colors also visible into Missouri and central Illinois. The Ozarks are starting to see some really good colors, while the Mid-Mississippi Valley and southern Plains are limited in their foliage this week.

If you`re travelling across the Plains this weekend, look to Interstate 70 or U.S. Route 36 to get you into the best colors. These roads are east-to-west across Missouri, and will allow access to smaller roads for even better viewing and picture-taking. Reports indicate great colors near and north of Kansas City, so if you get the chance to travel northward along Interstates 29 or 35, that would also provide access to some strong colors.

The weather will certainly have a fall-like feel for much of the East, as a chilly weather pattern remains in place. A disturbance passing across southern Canada will bring occasional showers from Minnesota to northern New England, but other than upstate New York should keep leaf-peepers dry. A mix of sun and clouds is expected for the rest of the region, though. Temperatures will run below average nearly everywhere, with plenty of 40s in the northern tier, and 50s in the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys, and from the Mid-Atlantic to coastal New England. Bring a warm jacket, as the mornings will likely start near the freezing mark.

Over the course of the next several weeks, WeatherBug Meteorologists will provide an outlook on the foliage conditions across the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. This will include an updated map of conditions and details of these great colors. WeatherBug will also give some suggestions of roads to take for a leaf-peeping road trip, and a forecast for the weekend so you can know what to expect as you visit the colors.

Be sure to check your WeatherBug every week throughout the season to find out which region is seeing the best colors. Plus, don`t forget to share your foliage photos by clicking on the "Your Photo" link on this page. In addition, you can get the latest foliage and weather updates anytime on Twitter.