Like other seasons, autumn has its distinct features. During this time leaves change color. Trees appear colorful in purple; yellow, orange and red. Often times, people wonder when the leaves in their home area will change color To answer this question and further understand the change color aspect of leaves, one needs to first examine how this occurs and why.
A lot of scientific explanations exist; carotenoids and chlorophyll being mentioned a lot among others. We shall keep this aside and strive to learn the basics of the changes brought about by this season. In any case Indians as well as other natives seem to have learnt this over time. In the course of this study, we will look at a number of conditions whose change ignites changes in leaves.
Water and Moisture
Too little moisture can cause the trees to display fall colors later in the season, and then lose their leaves early due to the drought conditions. This generally produces a brownish or yellowing effect of the leaves, without a bright colorful display.
Alternatively, too much water is associated with many cloudy overcast days. A lot of moisture can cause fungus to grow in damp cool conditions, bringing the onset of disease throughout the leaves prior to the onset of winter. This type of extreme climate can make the leaves change color a bit earlier, but the colors will not be as vibrant as in optimal conditions.
The ideal moisture conditions for brilliant fall foliage will include ample rain fall with adequate and average dry periods between the rainfall. Depending upon your location, moisture can vary from year to year, and extreme weather patterns can expedite or prolong leaf color changes.
Sun Light
One factor that is fairly consistent from year to year are the hours when the sun rises, and when the sun sets. Each year we spring forward and fall back changing our clocks accordingly ever since Benjamin Franklin suggested daylight savings time.
The change of the lighting schedule triggers the trees and leaves to prepare for winter by not producing a chemical that produces the green leaf color. The absence of this chemical (which typically makes leaves green) is why the leaves change to their fall colors. The earlier in the season when the days begin to get shorter, and the nights begin to be longer, you will see the leaves change earlier.
The absence of bright warm sunlight on fall days can make the leaves change earlier, but they will also not display as vibrant colors. Sunlight plays an important factor in the brilliance of the fall leaf color, so it is vital for the sun to shine nice and bright in between average rain falls, in order to display vibrant fall foliage.
Temperature
Cool crisp nights without frost and freezing will help the leaves to show their best colors. However, if the temperature is too cold (freezing or below) throughout the weeks of early fall the leaves may change earlier, and will also fall from the trees earlier.
Latitude (Location)
As one moves north towards Canada and other States you will notice how cool the nights are. You will also experience shorter daytimes with a lot of rainfall. These changes will lead to vegetation changing colors in the early stages of the season.
Changes in fall leaf takes place in September through November, starting in the North as it moves to those in the South. This information can be found in maps on fall foliage.
To conclude the discussion, a myriad of factors do affect fall leaf color intensity as well as when leaves begin to change. A keen eye for detail and meticulous planning is all it takes. Maps drawn on fall foliage patterns as well as tracking weather changes are useful resources. You can tell with some accuracy when fall foliage will be experienced. If autumn seasons are compared, you will not get any that are alike in all aspects. Therefore, your prediction may not be accurate. If you have a passion for fall foliage colors, then you can study further on factors behind the time when leaves change color.