Fall has officially arrived, and soon we will be fascinated with the beautiful colors that the season brings. Keep a live look on the fall foliage from the Upstate with our Table Rock webcam, and don't miss our fall foliage reports posted each Thursday, starting October 5, 2023. You can also view this Fall Foliage Prediction Map from the Smoky Mountains.com.
November 8, 2023
The foliage peak for brightness is slipping away. The oaks have caught up with the color march but are only providing deep reds and browns. Some hickories are bright yellow and the best color is from various maples that are sporting nice red, yellow or orange leaves. However, the drought continues to take a toll by muting much of the color tones and causing other leaves to shrivel and fall off. Going further into November, lower elevations will have that post-peak display which is an attraction all its own. Enjoy the end of the season with the rich, late autumn colors associated with Thanksgiving.
November 2, 2023
The trees viewed from the top of Sassafras Mountain are past peak and many are dropping leaves. At Table Rock the highest points are at or just past peak, while lower elevations are still retaining green foliage mixed with autumn colors. The dry conditions have muted the display this year so the few more brilliant yellow and red trees are fading. Although it seems a brighter peak is past, we can enjoy the dark burgundy, the deep golden, and a variety of browns for at least a couple more weeks as the leaf season winds down.
October 26, 2023
Almost….. but not quite yet. Color is emerging on upper ridges and is creeping down the slopes. While peak has been reached or surpassed in the higher elevations in North Carolina, our upstate mountains need a few more days. Road and river corridors along with lakeshores are very attractive but until the oaks catch up, the canopy still is holding on to some green leaves. Peak or not, the coming weekend should be a great time to get out and enjoy fall scenery with mild weather on tap. Color should linger some beyond peak so early November should give us a good show as well.
October 19,2023
Although green leaves are still in the majority, fall colors are popping. Higher elevations are showing the best evidence of the approaching peak. The outlook over the next week, is for chilly overnight lows and mainly sun soaked days. We should see very noticeable changes in foliage color during that time. Sourwoods, dogwoods, tulip poplars, and sumac along with some maples and sweet gums are holding their own. Oaks and hickories will bring up the rear and add to the color over the next couple weeks.
October 12, 2023
The landscape has not changed a great deal over the last week. Higher elevations have a few more bright colors sprinkled in but shades of green dominate the scene. In the past 23 days there has been just barely over a trace of rain. The dry conditions have caused some leaves to fall early and some trees have foliage that is looking rather pale. There are still plenty of leaves hanging on, waiting to go on display. As daylight lessens and a cool down arrives next week, we can anticipate color change to pick up the pace.
October 5, 2023
Another fall cycle is underway. With the string of cool nights and warm days we have been experiencing, the fall colors are slowly starting to change. Over the next few weeks the green chlorophyll will continue to break down to reveal the other colors we anticipate each fall. Although the overall landscape is still a muted green, the reds of Dogwood, Sweetgum, and Sourwood are becoming more obvious in exposed areas such as forest and road edges. Tulip Poplars are displaying some early bright yellow leaves as usual. Each coming week should reveal more change as colder temps help to bring us to the foliage peak at the end of October or early November.
Also, check out this story on fall foliage viewing in our state parks and the Top 3 Easy Fall Hikes!
Read more about color change and autumn here.
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