Fall is almost here and the leaves will soon begin to display their brilliant red, orange and golden fall colors.
Ohio’s 2024 drought brought dull colors as fall arrived earlier than expected. Will there be any difference in 2025? What’s Ohio’s fall foliage going to look like this year? Here’s what to know.
What is the Ohio fall foliage forecast? How vibrant will the colors be?
Ohio, along with the rest of the Midwest, is expected to have vibrant fall foliage, according to AccuWeather.
The Buckeye State received a fair amount of precipitation during spring and summer. In May, areas in Columbus and Cincinnati experienced rainfall that brought flooding. And July rainfall in Ohio was plentiful and close to normal for large portions of the state, according to the State Climate Office of Ohio.
However, much of Ohio experienced drier than normal conditions in August, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Much of the state had cooler than average temperatures in August, while rainfall across much of Ohio was well below average. Large sections of southern and eastern Ohio were significantly drier than usual.
AccuWeather peak fall foliage
By mid-October, the fall foliage in Ohio should reach its peak. Let’s take a look at the foliage forecast from Old Farmer’s Almanac.
When will the leaves change color in Ohio?
According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, Ohio will start to see its fall foliage in late September.
Here’s a fall foliage prediction map from Old Farmer’s Almanac:
Fall Foliage prediction map
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a similar outlook for fall colors.
When will fall colors peak in Ohio?
ODNR’s Division of Forestry shared its predictions for peak fall colors throughout the state on Facebook.
Northern Ohio is expected to see fall colors at their peak between the beginning and the middle of October. The majority of the state will see peak colors by mid-October, and as we head south from Columbus to Cincinnati, trees will turn vibrant around mid- to late-October.
Ohio’s drought caused leaves to change color earlier in fall of 2024
Last fall, Ohio went weeks without adequate precipitation. Many of Ohio’s corn and soybeans were harvested early due to the lack of rainfall in 2024, according to a story by the Mansfield News Journal.
Drought-stressed trees changed color weeks early last year. The more severe the drought, the earlier and more widespread the shift.
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
Different kinds of fall leaves
The pigment that gives leaves their usual green color is a chemical called chlorophyll, and it thrives in the sun, especially during summer when we get more daylight. But once the nights grow longer and cooler in fall, it is a signal for the leaf to stop making chlorophyll to prepare for winter, according to SciJinks.
That’s when the green leaves start turning to their beautiful hues of reds, yellows, and oranges, and everything in between.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Check out Ohio’s fall foliage prediction map for peak viewing times