Fall foliage map 2023. When will Illinois residents see leaves change colors?

It's officially fall, which means Mother Nature's annual fall colors show is right around the corner.

Whether you're gassing up the car for an afternoon drive or planning a long weekend in your favorite small town with tons of maple trees, here's a guide to when and where colors are expected to be most vibrant.

Every year, smokymountains.com releases an interactive fall foliage prediction map for the entire country.

The map allows visitors see how leaves are expected to change from green to yellow to orange and red across the United States as the weeks progress.

According to the prediction map, colors already have started to change slightly in the very northern part of Illinois.

Colors change from north to south with areas of Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming already seeing pops of yellow and orange.

Here's how the next several weeks are expected to play out in Illinois.

Fall forecast: What's in store for Illinois? Here's what one forecast says

When will fall colors first arrive?

According to the predication map, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin saw the first signs of fall the week of Sept. 18. "Minimal" is expected to turn to "patchy" the week of Sept. 25. But the real noticeable changes won't be until later in October.

Because Illinois is such a long state — roughly 400 miles from top to bottom — fall colors take several weeks to pass through the state with peaks spanning from Oct. 23 to Oct 30.

When will colors be best in northern Illinois?

For folks in the Rockford and Freeport areas, the prediction map says colors will go from near peak to peak the weeks of Oct. 16 and 23.

What if I'm in central Illinois?

Central Illinois residents in places like Galesburg, Peoria, Springfield and near the ever popular Starved Rock State Park should expect to see near peak and peak colors the weeks of Oct. 23 and 30, according to the prediction map.

What about southern Illinois?

Unfortunately, residents in southern Illinois, home to the Shawnee National Forest, have to wait the longest to see peak colors. According to the prediction map, colors there will be at their peak the week of Nov. 6.

By this time, the rest of the state is expected to be past peak.

What is the ideal weather to bring out the brightest fall colors?

Sunny days and cool nights are the perfect combination to enhance fall colors.

Why do leaves change colors?

Declining daylight and falling temperatures is a trigger to stop producing chlorophyll, which keeps leaves green. Without chlorophyll, leaves turn other colors from yellow and orange to red and purple.

Why do leaves fall?

In order to survive the winter, trees shed their leaves close off their stems to protect their limbs and trunk. Nutrients from fallen leaves can be recycled into the ground and used to help new foliage grow in the spring.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Fall foliage map 2023. When will Illinois residents see colors change?