LINVILLE, N.C. — Linville, N.C. -
Welcome to the PEAK of leaf peeping season here on top of Grandfathers Mountain. This year the weather has been nearly perfect, leaving us with breathtaking views.
The higher you go up the Mountains… the more the colors change before your eyes and you can thank this year’s weather for that.
“Conditions are perfect we had a nice wet Spring growing season,” explains Laura Farrell, a spokesperson with Grandfather Mountain.
The main reason why we see the leaves change every year is the change of daylight. The longer nights help trigger the decline of the green chlorophyll which allows the other pigments in the leaves to flourish.
This Fall has felt a lot more like Fall compared to the last couple of years helping our foliage. For instance, last year, the first days of October were some of the hottest on record.
That hotter weather kept the trees greener for longer. But this year we have had more of those warm sunny autumn days and cooler nights which has slowed the decline in the leaves.
“The reds have really come out with all of the sun,” tells Farrell.
Lastly, we avoided a Summer drought this year which stresses out the trees. We have had the right amount of rain that has led to good tree health, leaf retention and thus better color.
If you want to come up here… don’t wait too long. The colder it gets… trees will start dealing off their leaves allowing them to fall and turn brown. So carpe diem my friends and don’t miss out on this years beautiful Fall Foliage.