You can track the fall color changes in Missouri thanks to reports from the Missouri Department of Conservation and agency foresters across the state. The MDC has a webpage with reports updated weekly. Check mdc.mo.gov/fallcolor. Foresters begin posting reports in mid-September that show users where trees are beginning to turn and even suggest great places to see changing leaves.
Because of the dry summer conditions, MDC Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Russell Hannah says it’s likely fall color will start sooner than normal.
The chilly evenings we see in the fall season are critical for leaves to change color.
Hannah explains the cause of the color changes.
“Sugars produced by photosynthesis are trapped inside leaves by the cool autumn nights. Those sugars are the building blocks for the rich red, yellow, orange, and purple pigments. Chilly nights cause the breakdown of green pigments, allowing the fall colors to show through.”