Fall Foliage Peak 2019 Delayed In Virginia By Warm Temperatures

VIRGINIA — Fall foliage colors in Virginia will be delayed because of above average temperatures in September, the Weather Channel says. When will peak colors arrive in the Commonwealth? You can’t know precisely, but there’s a handy tool to help you plan excursions when fall foliage should be at its most spectacular.

The Virginia Department of Foresty says this week you may notice some early signs of fall in the woods, such as a black gum that’s blazing red, or a yellow-poplar’s leaves turning brown and curly. In general, the best fall color happens between October 10-20 in the mountains, October 15-25 in central Virginia and October 20-31 in eastern Virginia.

Much of Virginia has been low on late summer rainfall in 2019. When this happens, you can expect some trees to shut down photosynthesis early, according to the Virginia Department of Foresty.

Much of the nation is predicted to have above-average temperatures in mid- to late September, and parts of the Northeast could be particularly warm (by September standards) over the next one to two weeks, the Weather Channel says. Despite the generally warm and sunny days, the milder overnight lows across the country have pushed the typical start of fall foliage season. The delay will be worth the wait because the wet summer should created a vibrant foliage season barring any unusually heavy rains or strong winds.

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map, found on the Smoky Mountain National Park website, includes predictions not just for the Smokies, which rise above the Tennessee-North Carolina border, but for all 50 states.

The VDOF-recommended fall foliage driving tours designed by local foresters include:

• Charlottesville area: Greene County tour directions
• Harrisonburg area: Rockingham County tour directions | Shenandoah County tour directions
• Lexington area: Bath County tour directions
• Front Royal area: Warren County tour directions
• Roanoke area: Bedford County tour directions | Craig County tour directions | Franklin County tour directions
• Staunton area: Highland County tour directions

How To Check On Foliage

• Fall Foliage Report - 1.800.424.LOVE (begins around September 23 each year)
• Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park - 540.999.3500 (press “6”)
• Blue Ridge Parkway (between Waynesboro and the North Carolina border) - 828.298.0398 (press “3”)

Our state offers some stunning vistas, including several in state parks suggested by the Virginia Department of Forestry:

• Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC.
• Monticello Artisan Trail (Nelson & Albemarle Counties). Nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, Albemarle and Nelson counties offer an abundance of cultural, historical, recreational and leisure opportunities for our visitors enjoyment.

And Visit Fairfax offers these suggestions for nearby foliage:

• The George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Great Falls Park, 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean
• Burke Lake, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station
• Lake Accotink, 7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield
• Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria
• Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls
• Mason Neck State Park, High Point Rd, Lorton
• Fountainhead Regional Park, 10875 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station
• Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna
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If you’re planning a trip somewhere else, the Fall Foliage Prediction Map can help you pinpoint the best dates for a visit.

"The predictive fall leaf map helps potential travelers, photographers and leaf peepers determine the precise future date that the leaves will peak in each area of the continental United States. By utilizing the date selector at the bottom of the map, the user can visually understand how fall will progress over a region,” data scientist Wes Melton, the website’s chief technical officer, said in a statement.

The major factors that determine the fall foliage peak are sunlight, precipitation, soil moisture and temperature.

“Nothing is 100 percent accurate,” David Angotti, the cofounder of the website told Patch, but the tool “gets pretty darned close.”

Of course, “we can have a brilliant fall, and Mother Nature can come in with a wind storm and rip those leaves off in minutes,” Angotti said.

Where To Find The Best Fall Color

Angotti and his team monetize the Fall Foliage Prediction Map with Smoky Mountain cabin rentals.

He admits some “bias that Tennessee has some of the best leaves in the country. I honestly do believe that,” Angotti said, “but you’ll also find good color in the Blue Ridge Mountains; up in the Northeast corridor, especially Vermont and even into Virginia; the Poconos in Pennsylvania; the Colorado aspen trees; and in a lot of different areas of the country.”

What Causes The Different Colors

You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to stay healthy — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.

But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a halt. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.

Beta carotene, the same pigment that makes carrots orange, reflects the yellow and red light from the sun and gives leaves an orange hue.

The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.

And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?

They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves, but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.