Fall Foliage in DC: When Will Leaves Peak in 2016?

WASHINGTON, DC — Summer isn't quite done with us yet, but you can just start to feel the slightest hint of that crisp chill that heralds the arrival of fall. That means fall festivals, pumpkin-flavored everything and, of course, beautiful fall foliage. But just when can we expect peak fall colors in the Washington, D.C. area?

Fall color peaks at different times in each region in the United States, with mountainous areas peaking earlier than valleys since they are typically cooler, according to Weather.com. Coastal areas tend to peak even later than inland areas because they are usually warmer.

Because D.C. is both not a mountainous area and pretty close to the coast, that means our fall peaks fairly late -- usually around late October and sometimes as late as early November. That's about in line with most of the East Coast cities, like New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Meanwhile, out in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, fall foliage is just about to reach its peak already in late September.

A national fall foliage map at smokymountains.com is meant to help travelers prepare trips around fall foliage peaks. They have the local leaves peaking on the weekend of Oct. 14.

Of course, that's just a typical peak foliage time. It can vary depending on the weather conditions, and it's been a pretty hot summer in the D.C. area. Whether that translates into a later peak foliage remains to be seen.

Image via Wikimedia user Jongleur100