Snow on ski trails at the Sugarbush ski area are seen on mountaintops with fall colors on the hillside on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012 in East Montpelier, Vt. The annual foliage display in Vermont is reaching its peak.(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)
I made a quick trip over the eastern border to Arkansas last weekend for some family time and I noticed something was different.
First, my youngest brother just turned 16 and is now driving on his own. No man, woman or child in the Natural State is safe (I kid. He’s a good driver. Better than most I know).
Second, the leaves on the trees had a different hue to them. Time for the leafers!
But it’s was a little earlier than usual for Arkansas and Oklahoma. Thank the drought for that.
During periods of infrequent or low rainfall, trees go into survival mode and begin the process of shedding their leaves a little earlier than normal. The dormancy conserves their energy, which is what helps get them though the dark winter, too.
Quick recap of why tree leaves change color and fall off in the first place. Trees are aware that days have less sunlight as winter approaches. The tree then shuts off the flow of chlorophyll (the green chemical that turns sunlight into food) to the leaves. When the chlorophyll (and green color associated with it fades) out shines the other pigments in the leaves that are there during the growing season, but overshadowed by the chlorophyll. Then the leaves fall off and it’s gray, sad winter.
So, as I have observed personally with my own eyes, that process has begun. But it’s a process. When will the colors really shine? We got at least a week.
Arkansas really loves the foliage, and their tourism department updates the foliage observations weekly. The
latest update (from today) said the trees in northwest Arkansas have started to turn, but there is “still a lot of green in the area.” The same is true for northern Arkansas and far eastern Oklahoma. The expected peak of color is in late October.
The Ouachita Mountains are a bit behind, which is typical. Areas closer to the equator (I mean…it’s not like in the Tropic of Cancer, but it is closer to the equator) have more sun and warmer temperatures later into fall, so the foliage season starts later. The majority of the forest in the Ouachitas is still green, with the expected peak late October/early November.
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department also loves foliage, and has a
handy-dandy map of the best scenic fall drives in the state, with their own foliage observations. I highly recommend the Talimena National Scenic Byway.
So, you still have time to plan your fall camping getaways and foliage scenic tours. And hey, you should send me the photos you take!
Jerry.wofford@tulsaworld.com And you should follow me on the Twitters
@jerrywofford.
