Colorado Fall Colors 2023

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – One of the most beautiful times of year is upon us! The fall season starts on Saturday in the northern hemisphere and Colorado is getting ready to show off her colors! Heads up for all of you leaf peepers. The next 3-4 weeks will feature an array of beautiful fall foliage for you to take in. It will start soon up in the hills, with Rocky Mountain National Park kicking off their peak in the next 7-10 days.

For folks here in southern Colorado, we’ll likely start to see our mountain locations begin to see color flourish as we close out the month and head into the first week of October. For areas east of the mountains, mid-October to late October should feature a great fall season with above-average moisture so far this year! We’re also going to be seeing a persistent pattern of dry & mild days, with cool nights — along with generally light winds. All of these factors should lead to another great year for leaf-watching!

It’s because of Chlorophyll! That’s an organic compound found in the cells of deciduous tree leaves. Chlorophyll is produced in the Spring and Summer, giving leaves their vibrant, deep green colors. As days begin to shorten in the fall, chlorophyll production slows down, which actually reveals a leaf’s TRUE color.

Depending on a leaf’s particular DNA, it will produce different carotenoids. Carotenoids will determine a leaf’s true colors.

For red leaves: Anthocyanins are produced in the fall, giving a prominent red color

For orange leaves: Beta-carotenes are present — these cells absorb blue and green while reflecting red and yellow. We know from color theory that reds combined with yellow make orange!

For yellow leaves: Flavonols are responsible for the yellow color. Fun fact: Flavonols are also present in egg yolks!

Copyright 2023 KKTV. All rights reserved.