CHARLOTTE, N.C. — October is here, which means cool weather is right around the corner in the Carolinas. And with it comes the beautiful fall color that so many of us love.
Millions of people flock to the North Carolina mountains each year to see the fall foliage and with views like you get along the Blue Ridge Parkway, it's easy to see why. The picturesque landscape is something that should be on everyone's bucket list with beautiful orange, red and yellow leaves as far as the eye can see across the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.
Fall color is behind schedule in 2023
Because of unseasonably warm temperatures in September, fall color is a little behind schedule. Panovich says the fall color is about a week-and-a-half later than you'd expect in the first week of October. But that isn't to say things are totally green, as Grandfather Mountain shared a photo this week that highlighted some color at high elevations.
"We're starting to see some changes up there," forecaster Larry Sprinkle said. "We're getting some moderate levels in the higher elevations."
Sprinkle said areas like Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain and Grandfather Mountain are among those locations where you can see some color coming in. As you head west into the Great Smoky Mountains, there's quite a bit more fall color to be seen.
Panovich predicts peak fall color at the higher elevations — from 4,500 feet to 5,000 feet — around the weekend of Oct. 14-15.
Fall color update in the mountains and foothills
With moderate-to-high fall color visible at the highest elevations, you might see a few trees in your neighborhood starting to turn over. This is caused more by our streak of dry weather than the natural transition to fall. But still, there's a chance some parts of the foothills are getting a touch of autumn.
Panovich shared the current fall color levels for various parts of the mountains and foothills Monday and there's at least some color visible from Mount Mitchell all the way to the lower elevations of the mountains.
Current leaf color (as of Oct. 3)
Grandfather Mountain: High
Beech Mountain: Moderate to high
Banner Elk: Low
Boone: Low
Valle Crucis: Low
Lenoir: Low to none
When to expect peak fall color in North Carolina
When it comes to generating beautiful fall foliage, there's nothing better than those cool, crisp nights. It's also important to keep in mind that peak color forecasts are all dependent upon the elevation and weather, so peak dates can vary from season to season. Fall color lasts a long time in the Carolinas, so we'll be seeing the beautiful leaves from now until mid-November.
Here are the average peak fall color dates in North Carolina, according to WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist Brad Panovich.
Asheville: Oct. 25-30
Banner Elk: Oct. 7-12
Boone: Oct. 7-13
Charlotte metro: After Nov. 5
Cullowhee: Oct. 25-30
Grassy Creek: Oct. 19-24
Hendersonville: Oct. 25-30
Hickory: Oct. 31 to Nov. 4
Lenoir: Oct. 31 to Nov. 4
Morganton: Oct. 31 to Nov. 4
Taylorsville: Oct. 31 to Nov. 4
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