Fall color forecast: When the leaves will change and where

Crisp, cool air is starting to circulate throughout parts of the country which means fall colors and leaf peeping season are upon us.

AccuWeather is forecasting vibrant fall foliage in all or part of 20 states this year: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"We think the best places to go will be parts of the Upper Midwest, like Minneapolis, Green Bay, and outside of Chicago," AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok said in a release . "The trees should have nice reds and oranges. Another good place to see good foliage is in parts of the interior Northeast. If you're traveling from the Poconos all the way to maybe Erie, Pennsylvania, those areas could see some pretty good foliage."

On the other hand, pockets of dull colors are expected along the Appalachians and into eastern New England, as well as along parts of the Rockies and into the Northwest -- areas that are usually hotspots for vibrant fall foliage.

The AccuWeather Fall Forecast predicts dull colors this autumn in parts of: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Oregon.

"We expect more yellows and browns with typical to dull fall foliage along the East coast," Pastelok said. "We're going to have some trouble spots as you go farther south and east in the mid-Atlantic states due to the fact that we've had some severe drought this summer, followed by some very heavy rainfall, and more rain is expected in the early fall"

If you're hoping to catch some cool fall colors this year, a new map can help maximize your viewing experience. The nationwide map of foliage patterns serves as a best-guess guide to when aspen, birch, larch and maple trees will turn their deep shades of gold, orange and crimson. You can adjust the date on the map to see when colors are predicted to be the most vibrant in each state.

The forecast, produced by the Smoky Mountains website, predicts much of the U.S. will start seeing the most dramatic colors by late September to mid-October. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac , the second and third week of October are typically the peak times to see the most vibrant colors.

"Foliage starts to change in the northern-tier states out West and in the Midwest by late September. By October 4, the leaves in some areas will be past their prime," the Almanac predicted. "Much of New England as well as the Pacific Northwest, will be at or near peak fall color by October 11. A little further south in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it looks like mid-October is your best bet."

Fall foliage can be difficult to predict, especially as climate change brings warmer temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns. Temperature and rainfall can also affect the brightness of the fall colors.

Areas where warm temperatures persist can see fall colors arrive later than normal, while areas where rainfall has been scarce could see leaves change earlier but with muted colors. Meantime, cooler areas with more rainfall could be in for quite a show with widespread vibrant colors.