In northern Ohio, some leaves are already beginning to turn color.
But the age-old question of when the autumn colors will reach their peak is still a small mystery, into which scientific findings also play a role.
There’s only one person who truly knows when fall colors will peak in the Greater Akron area, and Mother Nature was unavailable for comment.
However, that hasn’t stopped others from predicting a fireworks display of fall colors in places like Cuyahoga Valley National Park or even in your own backyard.
Early predictions about when the leaves will change color are not an exact science.
Many different factors determine when the leaves change color and even how long they stay hanging.
The weather plays a big role, from the heat in summer to the rain.
And then the autumn temperatures make themselves felt, just when the cool autumn nights set in.
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For the past three fall, Ohio’s foliage has been late, not reaching full color until late October in most areas, including northeast Ohio.
These late peaks usually mean shorter foliage seasons, as the weather in northern Ohio gets a bit rainier and windier, so the colorful leaves don’t stick around very long.
When do fall colors peak in Ohio?
Hardly anyone can say exactly when the autumn day with its colorful images will be.
However, this has not stopped some experts in the field from making their predictions.
People from the group American Forests predict that fall colors in the greater Akron area will reach their peak as early as October 18.
According to the interactive fall foliage forecast map on tourist website SmokyMountains.com, leaves in northern Ohio will see their greatest change this year during the week of October 16 and will begin changing as early as late September.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, which has been making weather-related forecasts since 1818, fall foliage in Ohio will peak between October 5 and 21.
And the Old Farmer’s Almanac of 1792 dates the peak of color in northern Ohio closer to Halloween this year.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is expected to launch its own fall color website sometime in September that will track changes across the state and provide weekly updates.
Which leaves change color first in northern Ohio?
Varieties such as red maple and sugar maple are usually the first to show some color in northern Ohio, followed by hickory and oak.
Another factor, say the experts, is whether a tree is under stress. If that is the case, it will lose its leaves first.
And there’s a lot of science behind how vibrant or pale a tree’s leaves will be, ranging from soil to weather to the tree’s genetic makeup.
When is the first day of autumn?
The first day of fall, also known as the autumn equinox, this year is Sunday, September 22nd.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the exact time of the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is 8:44 a.m.
Technically, there are two days that could be considered the beginning of the fall season.
There is the astronomical autumn, which begins on September 22nd with the autumn equinox.
Some meteorologists also consider Sunday, September 1, as the beginning of meteorological autumn, which is based on the annual temperature cycle.
USA TODAY contributed to this article.
