Michigan's Autumnal Display Delays: Experts Predict Peak Fall Colors

As northern Michigan prepares to shift from summer greens to bright autumn colors, fall foliage enthusiasts should keep their weekends available. This year, the change is occurring more slowly than normal, and local meteorologists and experts are watching the situation closely.

According to NEXT Weather meteorologist Karen Carter, the metamorphosis of the Michigan trees colors is determinant on a cocktail of sunlight, temperatures, rain, and wind. Ideal conditions can amplify the process, with September ranking as the 20th driest and 13th warmest month on record in the last century and a half. Carter notes, "So, if you're going hunting this weekend, the fall foliage is mainly low in color across the state, with a few high-color areas in the Upper Peninsula," warning hunters and leaf peepers that the Upper Peninsula is just starting to show high-color areas, as detailed by CBS News.

Similarly, MLive's weather update suggests the fall colors are a bit tardy this year. Warm September temperatures and a lack of frost have left most of Lower Michigan draped in an unseasonal green, with scattered color pockets that aren’t yet prime for the chasing. The Upper Peninsula is around one week behind the typical fall color stage and is expected to peak around Oct. 8-12, with northern Lower Michigan likely hitting its stride mid-October.

Over in Northern Michigan, the leaves are only giving us a few weeks before they swap their bright palettes for winter’s more subdued tones. The National Weather Service and Pure Michigan predict peak fall colors to grace Northern Michigan during the first half of October, with the Eastern Upper Peninsula currently offering the best viewing. Joe Delizio, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, told Petoskey News, "The changing of the colors happens as a result of cooler temperatures and reduced daylight as we move into fall," illuminating that the recent warmer and drier conditions might be playing the spoilsport in the coloration process.

For those craving a bespoke leaf-peeping experience, Pure Michigan’s customizable, interactive fall color map on michigan.org can be the guide to your autumn adventure.