Fall Color Finder Shows Parts of Central Minnesota Still Waiting For Changeover

(KNSI) – The latest Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fall Color Finder update shows St. Cloud sitting on the ledge between peak color and plenty of green left in the trees.

A drive around town would suggest, anecdotally, that it is the former that is quickly winning out. However, a report filed by staff at Lake Maria State Park on Wednesday shows color still stubbornly stuck at just 25-50% of peak. It is true of leaves, flowers, and grasses.

The hourglass-shaped zone starts in Sherburne and Benton Counties, bows in around the Twin Cities metro, and then bubbles out again near the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area. Mostly along the southern border with Iowa, there are still areas that have not reached peak, but they are all registering at 50%-75%. It is the area containing parts of central Minnesota that shows the least progress.

The slow momentum continues even as temperatures have moderated. The last week has seen more seasonable, or even cooler-than-average temperatures, which typically kickstart color change.

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