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 6 | Aug 31–Sep 13 |
| Minnesota | October 3 | Sep 30–Oct 6 |
| North Dakota | October 6 | Oct 4–8 |
| Idaho | October 9 | Sep 30–Oct 18 |
| Montana | October 9 | Oct 4–14 |
| Vermont | October 10 | Oct 8–12 |
| Wyoming | October 11 | Oct 6–16 |
| Washington | October 11 | Oct 2–20 |
| Maine | October 12 | Oct 10–14 |
| Colorado | October 14 | Oct 5–22 |
| Michigan | October 14 | Oct 12–17 |
| Wisconsin | October 14 | Oct 11–17 |
| Utah | October 15 | Oct 12–17 |
| New York | October 16 | Oct 13–19 |
| New Hampshire | October 16 | Oct 14–18 |
| South Dakota | October 17 | Oct 15–19 |
| Nevada | October 18 | Oct 13–24 |
| Pennsylvania | October 18 | Oct 14–22 |
| Iowa | October 20 | Oct 18–22 |
| West Virginia | October 21 | Oct 17–25 |
| Nebraska | October 21 | Oct 19–23 |
| Ohio | October 22 | Oct 20–24 |
| Oregon | October 22 | Oct 17–27 |
| Massachusetts | October 23 | Oct 20–25 |
| Connecticut | October 24 | Oct 22–26 |
| New Mexico | October 24 | Oct 17–Nov 1 |
| Indiana | October 25 | Oct 22–28 |
| Rhode Island | October 27 | Oct 25–29 |
| Virginia | October 29 | Oct 21–Nov 5 |
| Kansas | October 29 | Oct 26–Nov 1 |
| Illinois | October 30 | Oct 27–Nov 2 |
| Missouri | October 31 | Oct 28–Nov 3 |
| Kentucky | October 31 | Oct 27–Nov 4 |
| Maryland | November 6 | Nov 2–9 |
| Arizona | November 6 | Oct 22–Nov 22 |
| Delaware | November 8 | Nov 6–10 |
| New Jersey | November 8 | Nov 4–11 |
| Tennessee | November 9 | Nov 7–12 |
| Oklahoma | November 10 | Nov 8–12 |
| Arkansas | November 10 | Nov 7–13 |
| South Carolina | November 14 | Nov 12–17 |
| California | November 15 | Oct 30–Dec 1 |
| North Carolina | November 18 | Nov 16–21 |
| Texas | November 20 | Nov 15–25 |
| Alabama | November 20 | Nov 14–26 |
| Mississippi | November 22 | Nov 17–27 |
| Georgia | November 22 | Nov 17–28 |
| Louisiana | November 28 | Nov 26–30 |
| Florida | December 5 | Dec 3–7 |
Canada
| Region | Peak | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon — Kluane & Interior | September 5 | Sep 3–7 |
| Québec — Laurentians & Eastern Townships | September 16 | Sep 7–26 |
| British Columbia | September 20 | Sep 7–Oct 3 |
| Alberta — Canadian Rockies | October 3 | Sep 30–Oct 6 |
| Newfoundland | October 4 | Sep 30–Oct 8 |
| Saskatchewan & Manitoba | October 6 | Oct 3–10 |
| Ontario — Algonquin & Muskoka | October 7 | Oct 5–9 |
| New Brunswick | October 11 | Oct 9–13 |
| Nova Scotia — Cape Breton | October 16 | Oct 13–19 |
Europe
| Region | Peak | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | September 4 | Aug 26–Sep 13 |
| Sweden | September 7 | Aug 17–Sep 28 |
| Finland | September 28 | Sep 13–Oct 13 |
| Austria | October 1 | Sep 19–Oct 13 |
| Switzerland | October 9 | Sep 22–Oct 26 |
| United Kingdom | October 14 | Oct 3–25 |
| Germany | October 20 | Oct 16–25 |
| Ireland | October 21 | Oct 19–23 |
| France | November 3 | Oct 29–Nov 8 |
| Italy | November 6 | Oct 28–Nov 16 |
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.
Norway
Norway
Color starts August 20
Peak ~September 4
Canada
Yukon — Kluane & Interior
Color starts August 21
Peak ~September 5
United States
Alaska
Color starts August 22
Peak ~September 6
Sweden
Sweden
Color starts August 23
Peak ~September 7
Canada
Québec — Laurentians & Eastern Townships
Color starts September 1
Peak ~September 16
Canada
British Columbia
Color starts September 5
Peak ~September 20
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 10 (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 20 (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.
