The forecast
Peak dates by state and region, 2026
All 68 regions the weather model covers, earliest peak first. Each row opens that region’s full forecast, with its season history and where to go.
United States
| Region | Peak | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | September 4 | Aug 30–Sep 10 |
| Minnesota | October 4 | Sep 30–Oct 8 |
| Vermont | October 6 | Oct 4–8 |
| Maine | October 7 | Oct 3–11 |
| North Dakota | October 7 | Oct 5–9 |
| Montana | October 11 | Oct 4–18 |
| Idaho | October 13 | Sep 28–Oct 27 |
| New Hampshire | October 13 | Oct 10–15 |
| New York | October 13 | Oct 10–17 |
| Michigan | October 13 | Oct 9–17 |
| Wisconsin | October 13 | Oct 10–16 |
| Washington | October 13 | Sep 30–Oct 27 |
| Colorado | October 14 | Oct 6–21 |
| Wyoming | October 14 | Oct 10–18 |
| Utah | October 15 | Oct 12–18 |
| Pennsylvania | October 15 | Oct 10–20 |
| South Dakota | October 18 | Oct 16–20 |
| West Virginia | October 20 | Oct 16–23 |
| Massachusetts | October 20 | Oct 16–23 |
| Nevada | October 20 | Oct 16–25 |
| Iowa | October 20 | Oct 18–22 |
| Nebraska | October 21 | Oct 19–23 |
| Ohio | October 22 | Oct 20–24 |
| Oregon | October 22 | Oct 11–Nov 2 |
| Connecticut | October 23 | Oct 21–25 |
| New Mexico | October 24 | Oct 18–30 |
| Indiana | October 24 | Oct 22–26 |
| Kansas | October 25 | Oct 23–27 |
| Virginia | October 26 | Oct 17–Nov 3 |
| Missouri | October 26 | Oct 24–28 |
| Rhode Island | October 27 | Oct 25–29 |
| Illinois | October 27 | Oct 25–29 |
| Kentucky | October 28 | Oct 25–30 |
| Oklahoma | November 4 | Nov 2–6 |
| Tennessee | November 4 | Nov 2–6 |
| Arkansas | November 5 | Nov 2–7 |
| Maryland | November 5 | Nov 1–8 |
| Arizona | November 6 | Oct 21–Nov 22 |
| Delaware | November 6 | Nov 4–8 |
| New Jersey | November 7 | Nov 4–9 |
| South Carolina | November 12 | Nov 9–15 |
| North Carolina | November 15 | Nov 12–18 |
| California | November 16 | Nov 1–Dec 1 |
| Texas | November 17 | Nov 10–24 |
| Alabama | November 18 | Nov 11–25 |
| Mississippi | November 19 | Nov 13–25 |
| Georgia | November 20 | Nov 14–26 |
| Louisiana | November 26 | Nov 24–28 |
| Florida | December 5 | Dec 3–7 |
Canada
| Region | Peak | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon — Kluane & Interior | September 3 | Aug 30–Sep 7 |
| British Columbia | September 12 | Sep 3–21 |
| Québec — Laurentians & Eastern Townships | September 18 | Sep 11–25 |
| Alberta — Canadian Rockies | September 25 | Sep 23–27 |
| Ontario — Algonquin & Muskoka | September 26 | Sep 21–Oct 1 |
| Saskatchewan & Manitoba | September 26 | Sep 21–Oct 2 |
| Newfoundland | September 30 | Sep 25–Oct 5 |
| New Brunswick | October 7 | Oct 2–11 |
| Nova Scotia — Cape Breton | October 13 | Oct 10–16 |
Europe
| Region | Peak | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | September 6 | Aug 28–Sep 15 |
| Sweden | September 10 | Aug 20–Oct 1 |
| Finland | September 22 | Sep 12–Oct 2 |
| Austria | October 4 | Sep 22–Oct 16 |
| Switzerland | October 13 | Oct 2–25 |
| United Kingdom | October 16 | Oct 8–25 |
| Ireland | October 21 | Oct 19–23 |
| Germany | October 23 | Oct 19–27 |
| France | November 1 | Oct 28–Nov 6 |
| Italy | November 4 | Oct 25–Nov 14 |
Regions without a weather grid behind them carry a typical-year window instead. Browse every destination →
Conditions
Peak windows this season
Where the forecast puts peak color, earliest first.
Canada
Yukon — Kluane & Interior
Color starts August 21
Peak ~September 3
United States
Alaska
Color starts August 22
Peak ~September 4
Norway
Norway
Color starts August 20
Peak ~September 6
Sweden
Sweden
Color starts August 23
Peak ~September 10
Canada
British Columbia
Color starts August 26
Peak ~September 12
Canada
Québec — Laurentians & Eastern Townships
Color starts September 1
Peak ~September 18
The model
How the forecast works
Scrub the season
Drag the date slider and watch color sweep the planet, cell by cell. Patagonia turns in April, Vermont in October.
Built on real weather
Daily ERA5 temperatures drive a phenology model; 30-meter terrain data makes mountainsides turn before valleys.
Verified with photos
Click anywhere for that exact spot's forecast. Each season we check predictions against real photos and recalibrate.
Destinations
Where to chase color

Vermont
United StatesVermont's sugar maples turn the Green Mountains red and gold, peaking in early-to-mid October along Route 100.
Peak ~October 6 (forecast)

Colorado
United StatesColorado's aspen groves turn the Rockies gold each fall, with Kebler Pass holding the state's largest grove and Maroon Bells and the Million Dollar Highway drawing crowds. Peak color usually arrives late September to early October.
Peak ~October 14 (forecast)

Germany
GermanyGermany's beech woods turn from gold to copper across the Black Forest, Bavarian Alps and Harz Mountains, with peak color in mid-to-late October along classic drives through the Baden-Württemberg and Bavarian foothills.
Peak ~October 23 (forecast)

Kansai — Kyōto & Nara
JapanKyoto's temple gardens turn in a famously precise sequence each November, while Koyasan's cedar-maple mix and the Lake Biwa shoreline extend the region's color for weeks.

Central Otago & Queenstown
New ZealandGolden poplars and willows planted by 19th-century gold miners line the Arrow and Shotover rivers, turning Arrowtown and Queenstown gold through April into May.

Bariloche & the Argentine Lakes
ArgentinaLenga and coihue forests ring Nahuel Huapi and the Seven Lakes Route in red and gold from April, with Bariloche's chocolate shops and lake steamers marking the shoulder season.
Learn
Understand the season

Leaf Science
How Trees Know It's Autumn: The Science of Shorter Days
Fall color isn't triggered by cold. Trees measure night length with a pigment called phytochrome, then seal off each leaf at the abscission zone.
2026-07-17 · 8 min read

Foliage Timing & Seasons
When Does Fall Start? Equinox, Meteorological, and Real Autumn
Fall has three start dates: the astronomical equinox, the meteorological calendar, and the day trees actually begin turning. Here is how they differ.
2026-07-17 · 7 min read

Holidays & Celebrations
Autumn Holidays Around the World: Harvest, Light, and Remembrance
A tour of the world's autumn holidays and the three things nearly all of them share: bringing in the harvest, lighting up the dark, and remembering the dead.
2026-07-17 · 7 min read
Field notes
From the blog

Science
2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State
Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.
2026-07-20 · 6 min read

Site update
What's New: A Map of 465 Fall Destinations
Autumn Guide's Explore hub now covers 465 spots worldwide (orchards, scenic drives, hikes, and festivals) with category pins, live status, and a near-me search.
2026-07-16 · 1 min read

Things to do
The Best Fall Hikes in New England
Eight trail-tested fall hikes across Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, from short overlooks to a full above-treeline ridge walk.
2026-07-14 · 6 min read
See where fall stands this weekend
Drag the slider to your travel dates and the map shows which regions land on peak while you are there.
