If you love fall foliage, here are the predicted dates for peak foliage in Indiana.

Fall Foliage

I talked to Eyewitness News Meteorologist Joe Bird recently, and we were talking about how fall is such a pretty season. He then cracked a joke and said, "It really is beautiful, but it's kind of weird that we love to see the leaves dying..." which made me laugh out loud, because he isn't wrong!

It's so pretty to see the leaves change color, but I mean, they are kind of actually dying, too. I feel like there's a metaphor about life or something deeper hidden in this message, but I'm too tired to figure it out.

Why Do Leaves All Turn Different Colors?

According to the Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, the colors that the leaves turn to are influenced by three things.

For years, scientists have worked to understand the changes that occur in trees and shrubs during autumn. Although we don't know all the details, we do know enough to explain the basics to help you enjoy nature's multicolored display. Three factors influence autumn leaf color:

- leaf pigments

- length of night

- weather

The timing of color changes and the onset of falling leaves is primarily regulated by the calendar as nights become longer.

When Will Fall Foliage Peak in Indiana?

If you live in the Hoosier State and want to know when you'll see pretty fall colors on the trees, Explore Fall has an interactive map that tracks fall foliage and predicts peak foliage.

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Here's Indiana's peak foliage predictions: 

• For our region in Southwestern Indiana, the peak fall foliage estimate is around November 10th.
• For most of Indiana, including South Eastern and Central Indiana fall foliage is estimated to peak a bit earlier around November 6th.
• The far Northern parts of Indiana is predicted to peak around October 31st

You can see the full interactive map here. It's a great tool if you want to plan a scenic getaway to soak in the cooler temps and pretty views this fall!