How does the weather affect autumn leaf colors?
Autumn scene at Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Champaign County. Reginald Hardwick/IPM News
We're starting to enter the peak time for fall leaf colors here in Illinois. The hue of the leaves and when they change can vary greatly depending on location and the weather. The Weather Realness podcast team spoke with Christine Rollinson, Senior Scientist of Forest Ecology at the Morton Arboretum, near Naperville.The talked specifically why leaves turn yellor or red in the fall and how weather can affect the colors.
Interview by Maddie Stover, doctoral student in physics and Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute.
Funding for Weather Realness is partially provided by the Backlund Charitable Trust. If you have a weather or climate question for the scientists on this program, please leave a voicemail at 217.333.2141 or email weatherrealness@illinois.edu.
