Fall colors starting to change in parts of Minnesota

MINNESOTA (Valley News Live) – The fall colors are slowly starting to change across parts of the valley.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a fall color map where you can track the leaf progression and see where and when the fall colors will peak.

The yellow shaded areas are where leaves are 25-50% changed. The lighter green is 10-25%.

You can also select future dates to see when the leaves in your area might change. The DNR says the estimates are based on historical averages.

Click here to find fall programs in Minnesota State Parks, upload your photos of fall colors, read the fall colors forecast or compare colors across the years.

MN DNR Fall Colors Forecast

Dull or earthy fall colors can be caused by drought or leaf disease. Mild summer drought can enhance fall colors, but a severe drought usually dulls them considerably, with the lack of water causing foliage to turn straw-colored and die early. Since early June 2024, the entire state of Minnesota has been drought-free.

The best fall colors usually follow a growing season that had average precipitation. Although our excessively wet spring caused leaf diseases on some species like aspen and oaks, it fortunately didn’t cause much leaf loss. After Minnesota’s 2023 drought, this year’s rainy growing season means trees have the potential to maximize their color production in the fall.

The weather in September also has a big impact on the shades we’ll see. Leaves are more likely to display brilliant colors when the days are sunny and the nights are cool (between 32-45 °F), without big swings in temperature. Light frosts can help, but a hard freeze or early snow could stop the show in its tracks.

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