With summer nearly behind us, Michiganders are beginning to crave the smell of leaves in the air and pumpkin spice lattes.
If you're daydreaming about those fall getaways Up North, SmokyMountains.com is helping pinpoint the peak time to take in the fall foliage.
Here is a look at the biggest weeks to capture the best of Michigan's fall colors
Week of Oct. 1
Foliage in the northern lower peninsula and Upper Peninsula will be at near-peak conditions. Farther south, you'll see partial color changes around the area.
Week of Oct. 8
If you're planning a trip to the U.P., this may be the week to go. Fall foliage will be at its peak from Copper Harbor and Marquette to Munising and Sault Ste. Marie. The rest of the state will be at near peak conditions.
Week of Oct. 15
In the lower portion of Michigan, foliage conditions will likely be at their peak during this time. The northern tip of Michigan and the U.P. will be past peak season.
Week of Oct. 22
Goodbye, beautiful fall colors. The state of Michigan is past its peak color season by this week.
Interactive Map:
(Tap on the dates below to view predicted changes)
The interactive map above uses millions of pieces of data to predict fall foliage for every county in the country. Some of the data points in the complex algorithm include:
- NOAA historical temperatures
- NOAA historical precipitation
- NOAA forecast temperatures
- NOAA forecast precipitation
- Historical leaf peak trends
- Peak observation trends
Of course, the map was made to help serve as a planning guide and should not be considered 100 percent accurate.
"Although simply entering rainfall, temperature data, elevations, and other data points into a model will never be 100 percent accurate, this combined with our proprietary, historical data drives our model to become more accurate each year," said Wes Melton, cofounder and CTO of SmokyMountains.com.
"However, unexpected rainfall that falls well outside of expected trends can always change the peak foliage dates and brilliance."
