Latest 2013 Great Smoky Mountains Fall Leaf Color Peak and the Start and End of Fall Color

If you look carefully you will see it. It's happening all around Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and in a few places in Sevierville too. They won't be ready to be turned on for a while, but when they do, boy will they shine!

What am I talking about? The Christmas Winterfest in the Smokies lights of course and you know what it means when they start putting up the Christmas lights in the Smoky Mountains? Fall color is right around the corner!

So far we are having what many feel is one of the nicest later summers and early falls in decades and they few days of rain we have gotten are just what the trees and bushes need to show off the most brilliant fall colors possible.

Temperature highs are still in the mid to low 70's during the days and the upper 50's to 60's which are ideal with the bright sunny days. This current trend will allow leaves to produce the most sugar and staying power for the brightest reds and oranges.

Early predictions for fall color in 2013 are very good and seem to be getting better by the day. The temperature drops have been consistent and steady and huge swings upward which would stress the leaves more have just not happened yet.

This year's Smoky Mountain acorn mast crop is also fairly sub-par, especially in white oaks. Combine this with a very good apple crop and all indications are for a long and brilliant fall peak leaf season for 2013.

So what will be peak fall color for the Great Smoky Mountains this year? Going by the spring wild flowers, bird and insect movement and the elk rut which was about a week late, it looks as though depending on elevation peak will fall from the early part of the last week in October for the valleys and as early as the 2nd week of October from 3,000 to 4,500 feet, sooner for up to 6,000 feet. Above that there is not really any color as you are in more fir environment which stays green year round.

While with a very damp Spring and Summer is behind us, current long term predictions are for an average fall precipitation and potentially cooler than normal temperatures. My opinion is it is just too soon to call it.

Some minor leaf color changes can already be observed at 1,500 feet and higher, dogwoods and sourwoods getting a burgundy to flame red color in a few branches above 3,000 feet today and lighting of the deep greens can be observed on Cove Mountain in Wears Valley, Some spots on Bluff Mountain, Shields Mountain near Dollywood, Mount LeConte and just below the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

I just returned from the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to Mount Mitchell and so far a few bushes in the highest elevations are showing of color but we are a week or more away from brilliant color covering large swathes on Grape Yard Ridge, Looking Glass and the Balsam Mountain area which looks even further away.

Cades Cove and Roaring Fork are also showing no lighting and real fall color yet however there are a few spots high up on Rich Mountain Road the unimproved road between Cades Cove Loop Road and Townsend Tennessee.

You are sure to find nice color from the 1st week in October, great colors the second week and breathtaking the 3 and 4th week. Expect some color to still be good through the first week in November in areas such as Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. If conditions continue, it is possible there can be great fall color in some place for 2013 as late as the second week in November. It has happened before and so far the conditions are good for long staying color.