State's fall colors will peak in mid-October

Department of Conservation

JEFFERSON CITY - How colorful will Missouri's fall foliage be this year? The answer, according to foresters with the Missouri Department of Conservation, is "It depends."

First, it depends on where you live. If you live in central, northwestern, east central or southwestern Missouri, chances are you will get to see a nice display of autumn reds and golds, maybe even an excellent one. If you live in the Ozarks, prospects are fair to poor. This could change with improved weather.

Prospects for fall color are good to excellent in the Kansas City area due to adequate soil moisture and a good growing season. An early freeze like the one that hit the area last year could ruin things, but otherwise the peak of color should occur around the third week of October, with color starting the last of September and continuing through the end of October.

Woodlands along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers are among the best spots for viewing fall color. A wide variety of trees and shrubs set those areas aglow with golden yellows, deep oranges and rich reds and purples. Valleys along Missouri's smaller rivers also are likely to sport more vivid foliage than higher, drier areas.

The quality of this year's fall colors also depends on weather in the coming weeks.