Yellow and orange, previously masked by the green, appear. The vibrant reds, purples and bronzes come from other chemical processes. The more sugar that accumulates, the brighter red the leaves turn. The degree of color varies from tree to tree. Leaves directly exposed to the sun may turn red, while those on the shady side of the same tree may be yellow.
Color also varies depending on the combination of weather conditions.
When autumn is warm and rainy, leaves have less coloration. As colors vary from mountain tops to valleys and from day to day, there is no way to predict when fall foliage will be at its' peak. This is a time of change, when each day is colored anew. To all indications, this year's Fall Foliage will be on schedule and as brilliant as ever. If you would like to print this page, please follow this link to open a new browser window without frames.