First fall cold snap will start to trigger brighter fall color in the Carolinas

NORTH CAROLINA (PINPOINT WEATHER) — Fall color is really starting to pop in the Carolinas! Areas near Grandfather Mountain and Boone are getting closer to their peak! The weekend cold snap will only help trigger the bright fall color even more over the next few weeks.

Fall foliage is still minimal across Charlotte. We still have until the end of the month, even early November, to see that peak color around the Queen City.

Our cold snap over the weekend is exactly what we need to get the fall color to pop even more. Chilly nights and mild, sunny days are the perfect weather conditions to signal the leaves to break down their chlorophyll, the chemical that makes them green.

Calmer weather without any big storms prevents the leaves from getting knocked off the trees before they’re able to change color. Light first frost ensures they survive a little but longer into fall.

Cool is the key ingredient, but fall is losing its cool.

Fall has a 1.4° fever in Charlotte, adding more warm days to the calendar. This means fewer cool days that spark the vibrant fall color we love.

Warmer falls shorten and stifle fall color season. It can mismatch the timing of peak color, one that is so crucial to seasonal tourism in the Appalachian Mountains.

Rainfall and sunlight also impact when leaves start to peep!