Fall has officially started and in Utah, leaves are starting to change colors. But what’s the best time to see the falls leaves at their best colors?
Leaves have started to turn shades of orange, yellow and red in some parts of the state, per Fox13 .
According to ABC4 , leaves get their colors as trees start to become dormant for the winter. As this happens trees reduce the production of chlorophyll, the chemical that gives leaves their green hue.
The slowing of the chlorophyll production causes the “true color” of the leaves to show.
Smoky Mountains released Fall Foliage Prediction Map for 2024, which shows when the leaves will start to change colors and when the colors will peak.
“While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year,” according to Smoky Mountains.
The map defines seven different stages of leaves changing colors: no change, minimal, patchy, partial, near peak, peak and past peak. According to the map, leaves will be at peak color for about a week in each area.