It’s that time when the trees are changing. If you’re like me & wondering when this or that tree will change, MSU Extension would like to share a little of the science behind how weather can affect fall color:
Leaves on a tree change color mainly in response to the decrease of daily sunlight … When chlorophyll is reduced, other pigments in the leaves begin to show or are produced. For example, the length of leaf color display time, as well as the extent of red color in the leaves, is directly related to temperature and moisture conditions that occur before and during the period when the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves is diminishing.
The most brilliant leaf displays follow a period of cool nights and warm days filled with sunshine. During this weather cycle, leaves photosynthesize and produce an abundance of sugars during the sunny days. The cooler nights and the gradual narrowing of leaf veins mean most of the sugars produced stay trapped in the leaf. This abundance of sugars, coupled with full sun, leads to the production of anthocyanin pigments, which produce red, purple, and crimson colors. The red hues are most vivid in leaves that receive full sun as the pigment helps protect the photosynthetic structures from damage by the bright sunshine.
Conversely, yellow and gold leaf colors result from carotenoid pigments which are always present in the leaf and only become visible when chlorophyll breaks down. We can always count on the yellow and gold fall leaf colors while red colors rely on the aforementioned weather conditions to present with vigor.
Read lots more about how weather affects fall colors.
I originally shared this photo as a cover for the Michigan in Pictures Facebook page back in 2017. Figured I’d bring it back for a post! Follow Jimmy Yeh Photo on Facebook for the latest.
