Whether or not you’re sad to see summer end, fall makes it easy with spectacular displays of color throughout the country as the leaves turn from green to brown.
A new Fall Foliage Map created by SmokyMountains.com, the portal to the national park spanning North Carolina and Tennessee, reveals just when areas around the country are about to hit peak foliage.
Covering the entire United States, the map uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, factoring in historical and modern forecast temperatures and rainfall to calculate when you should expect the most spectacular colors to take over the parks, forests and hills near you.
This year’s peak leaf-peeping season is expected to arrive sooner than usual, according to Travel + Leisure.
“This year’s leaf model is predicting an earlier-than-typical peak fall,” SmokyMountains.com data scientist Wes Melton tells the site. Blame above-average temperatures and heavy rain over the summer in much of the region.
So when should you head out to see the leaves transition from their summer greens to yellow, orange and red in the Northeast? By Sept. 17, much of the region will be near its peak beauty, reaching its gorgeous crimson and gold crescendo in the following three weeks. By Oct. 17, most of the region will be past its peak for the year.
Plan your road trips (and perfect hipster weddings) accordingly.
