Fall Foliage update: Starting to see some color changes in Siouxland

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Fall is well underway, and Siouxland is starting to see the fall foliage making its appearance!

In northwest Iowa, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports that maple trees are beginning to turn more red and orange. In addition, hackberry, walnuts, elms, and cottonwood are turning yellow, while they say “many species are dropping a few leaves.”

They estimate peak viewing for fall colors in northwest and north-central Iowa to be around mid-October, which is fast approaching. So be on the lookout as you’re out and about.

Meanwhile, southeast South Dakota and northeast Nebraska are reported as having moderate color currently, with some southernmost portions of the viewing area seeing low to moderate color so far.

Peak fall foliage color/viewing in northern Siouxland looks to be from now through mid-October, while central and southern portions of Siouxland see the fall colors peak from mid through late October.

And because we’ve had an unseasonably warm, dry, and sunny early fall season, as well as limited to no frost, we have potentially great conditions for spectacular and bright/bold displays of color.

This is because the brightest displays of color occur with these conditions as freezing/below freezing temperatures inhibit production of red pigments, while cloudy days and warm nights slows chlorophyll breakdown and the development of red pigment. In addition, rainy, windy weather causes leaves to fall too early, and an early killing frost will destroy leaf cells altogether, so pigmentation processes won’t be able to properly function according to the Iowa DNR .

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