MN DNR Fall Color Map Comes Out This Week

(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will kick off the fall color season on Thursday with a virtual presentation.

It will cover the different factors that affect the timing of when the leaves change and how vibrant they will become. A drought, which has been seen in most of the state this year, typically means early and muted shades of orange, red, and yellow in the trees.

The agency’s fall color finder page is beginning to be updated. Northwestern Minnesota, down to Otter Tail County, is seeing a 10% to 25% of peak as of Tuesday morning. Carlton and Pine Counties to the south of Duluth are seeing the same.

Leaves on the trees change color in response to the shorter days that come with the transition toward winter. With only about eight hours of light and weak sunshine, plants can no longer get enough energy from photosynthesis to run at full strength. As they transition to dormancy, they pull chlorophyll from the outer limbs. As the chlorophyll disappears, the leaves go from green to other colors. It is a final spectacle of natural beauty before the cold.

Fall color season is a lucrative one for many cities and smaller towns in the northern part of Minnesota. They usually reach peak conditions in the second half of September.

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