Autumn coloration in Tennessee should be brilliant. Trees are not stressed. The combination of not too much or too little moisture, few local extended droughts, and warm days and cool nights should promote vibrant color change with longer durations this year.
The complicating factor this year is that some local areas of Tennessee have been dry for the last two or three weeks. Although not a drought, less moisture can impact the intensity of leaf color. However, the projected rainfall from forthcoming hurricane systems, cooler overnight temperatures that have occurred recently, and bright sunny days forecast fabulous leaf colors.
Tennessee is fortunate to have wide variety of tree species and different topographies from Bristol to Memphis. Tree species have different patterns of leaf color and shedding of leaves. The varied topography provides different environmental conditions that influence the timing and scale of leaf color change each year. The color change will peak first at the higher elevations in the mountains of east Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau during the second and third week of October, then progress to the lower elevations. The best colors in the east Tennessee valleys and middle Tennessee are usually the last week of October (Halloween) and perhaps extending into November. The colors in west Tennessee reach their zenith during the first two weeks of November.
Factors that influence leaf color are shorter day lengths, moisture, temperature, and sunlight. For more information why leaves turn color, refer to UT Extension publication on Changing Colors of Leaves (SP 529) --- https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP529.pdf
A few summary statements about leaf color change
• Cool nights and warm days tend to retain leaf color longer and colors are more vibrant.
• Sunny days promote vivid leaf color. Overcast days will cause color to be duller.
• Freezing overnight temperatures and early frost will cause leaves to turn brown without leaf color.
• Adequate moisture will yield a longer period of leaf color.
• Leaf color change begins first at the higher elevations where it is cooler, then progresses to the valleys allowing some leaf color on the Tennessee landscape from October through mid-November.
• The longer-growing season attributed to climate change consistently has delayed the fall color change in Tennessee 7 to 10 days compared to 20 years ago.
Enjoy the color display! Since weather conditions vary from year to year, no two fall seasons will look the same. Leaf color in 2022 is projected to be brilliant.