GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Fall colors are continuing to pop out across West Michigan while parts of the Upper Peninsula are reaching their peak of the season.
CURRENT FALL FOLIAGE
The month of October began with a widespread, heavy soaking rain which should help to further enhance the fall colors. It was the 5th wettest start to October on record in Grand Rapids with 1.38″ of precipitation.
Changing leaves are becoming more widespread across the Lower Peninsula. Locally, the most vibrant colors are being seen approaching US-10 for cities such as Big Rapids and Mount Pleasant with roughly half of the trees having changed so far. A slower roll-out of the fall colors is occurring toward the lakeshore where temperatures are moderated slightly by Lake Michigan. About 20-40% of the leaves have changed near Pentwater.
Below is a list of estimated dates for the fall colors reaching their peak with the majority of West Michigan landing in the late October timeframe.
If you’re trying to catch the best of the fall colors in the Upper Peninsula, time is running short. Areas around the Porcupine Mountains are either at or just past their peak. The Keweenaw Peninsula and areas near Marquette are on track to peak within the next week. Eastern parts of the U.P. and Mackinac Island are trending toward seeing their peak colors between October 15th and 20th, so there’s a little more time if you want to plot out a road trip up that way.
WEEKEND FORECAST – SLIGHT SHOWER CHANCES
Beyond the wet start, this October has been characterized by plentiful sunshine —far exceeding average through the first week of the month.
Autumn sunshine and cool nights help to create and trap extra sugars inside the leaves, which in turn will lead to more vibrant colors. The weekend is set to bring some more pleasant conditions to West Michigan, but it won’t be quite as sunny as what has been experienced in recent days.
Temperatures will be rather warm, especially on Saturday as highs reach into the middle 70s on Saturday, which is approximately 10 degrees above average. Saturday will probably be the best day for leaf peeping and getting photos…