Fall is officially two weeks away, which means leaves across the state will soon start turning gold, orange and red.

What You Need To Know

  • Peak color change is usually in October

  • Eastern Kentucky will see the vibrant fall colors first

  • Shorter days or lack of sunlight start the process

  • Weather affects autumn colors

Shorter days and longer, cooler nights are a signal for the leaf to prepare for winter and to stop making chlorophyll. Plants break down chlorophyll into smaller molecules. As chlorophyll is depleted, other colors like red and yellow are unmasked within the leaf.

Both temperature and moisture impact just how vibrant the colors will appear in the fall. Sunny, warm days and cool, crisp nights seem to create the best fall colors – just as long as we don't have nights that are below freezing.

A summer drought can delay the fall colors by a few weeks, and a warm period during fall will also lower the intensity of autumn colors.

So, when can you expect peak fall colors in your neighborhood?

Since eastern Kentucky tends to be cooler since it's higher in elevation, you can expect peak colors there in mid-to-late October. This includes places like Lexington, Covington and London.

Central Kentucky will be a little later, closer to the end of October into the beginning of November. This includes Louisville, Bowling Green and Owensboro.

Western Kentucky is the latest in early November.