Alabama Leaves ‘Fall’ing Schedule: Guide to Foliage Colors

We are officially at the beginning of the fall season. After the stormy and hot summer our area has faced, the hints of sweater weather were a nice relief.

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Along with cooler temperatures comes the beautiful display of fall foliage plus activities like football, apple picking, and pumpkin everything.

There is a science behind the actual colors and arrival of fall foliage to the Yellowhammer State and weather plays a role.

Role of Summer

If there is a drought during the summer this can stress trees and could cause leaves to drop early. Also, it could reduce the vibrancy of colors during those zones' peak season. However, if there is an adequate amount of rain during the summer this promotes good tree health and leaf preservation until the Fall.

READ MORE: Sweaters or Shorts?: Alabama’s Fall 2023 Weather Predictions

What About Autumn Weather?

Appalachian State University Biology professor, Howard Neufeld told Farmers’ Almanac that “starting in August, days must be sunny and the nights steadily cooling. This allows the trees to manufacture sugars, and sugars stimulate the leaves to make anthocyanins. The cold helps keep the sugars in the leaves producing anthocyanins.”

Alabama Fall Foliage Arrival Predictions

A typical pattern of the brilliant display of colors starts in Northeast Alabama and then travels southward down through the state. According to the 2023 Fall Foliage Prediction Map from the Smoky Mountains, we are right on schedule.