2024 Leaf-Peeping Guide: When Fall Foliage Will Reach Peak Colors In NJ

NEW JERSEY — The peak season for fall leaf-peeping is still more than a month away in New Jersey, leaving you time to plan a road trip to see fall foliage at its most brilliant.

Several online tools and predictive maps are available to guide planning, whether you plan to stay home or travel outside New Jersey. Leaves can start to change color as early as mid-September in northern-tier states, while the peak in some southern states is closer to November, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Its predictive map shows leaves in much of New Jersey will begin to peak around Oct. 26, and will be past their peak by Nov. 7.

AccuWeather said the best areas to see vivid fall foliage this year will be outside of the traditionally popular tourist destinations. Leaves will be at their most vibrant around mid-October for most of the state, and late October for South Jersey and part of the Shore, according to that forecast. It also suggests this year’s fall foliage show will be typical for the region, though some other areas of the United States will have more vibrant colors.

A predictive map from ExploreFall.com says leaves in the northern part of the state will reach “high color” around Oct. 24 and “peak color” around Oct. 28. South of Trenton and along much of the Jersey Shore, the period of "high color" will begin around Oct. 27, and peak around Nov. 5.

Another predictive map, from SmokyMountains.com, puts the leaf-peeping season peak at around Oct. 14 in North Jersey, and Oct. 21 in South Jersey.

No predictive tool is 100 percent accurate, but it can give leaf peepers a pretty good shot at seeing autumn leaves when they turn their most blazing reds, vibrant orange and sunny yellows.

Weather can have a big effect. Leaves need warm, sunny days, but also crisp but not freezing nights to bring about the most spectacular color show. Both rainfall and drought can also affect its vibrancy, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center fall temperature and precipitation forecast, we are likely to see above average temperatures over the next three months. Precipitation is expected to be slightly above normal in New Jersey.

What causes the different colors?

You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to thrive — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.

But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a halt. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.

Beta-carotene, the same pigment that makes carrots orange, reflects the yellow and red light from the sun and gives leaves an orange hue.

The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.

And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?

They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.