North Dakota Fall Colors | Video

Monica Hannan | 9/26/2012

In North Dakota, we have beautiful fall color, but it doesn`t last too long, so now is the time to go out and take a look at it. Foresters say the intensity of fall colors depends a lot on temperatures and moisture.

This year was a dry one, and the trees spent part of the summer confused over the seasons because it was hot early and very dry. That meant trees went into their dormant phase before they normally would.

But this week is the one that the state forester believes will be the peak.

"This is a great time of year. We`re starting to see some awesome colors in various areas of the state. Some of the good ones, Pembina Gorge, up in the Turtle Mountains, near Bottineau out in the Badlands, even here in the Missouri River. Breaks are starting to change colors. So it`s a good time to get out this week and the next week," said Sarah Tunge with the North Dakota Forest Service.

In case you`re wondering, fall color is brought on as chlorophyll production stops. Thinking back to your science classes, chlorophyll is what gives leaves their green color and masks the reds, yellows and oranges underneath.

The other colors were always there, just hidden. As the green fades, the other colors come out.

For all you fall color fanatics, you can actually follow the leaves across the U.S. as they change, a process that lasts from September to November, by going to the Fall Color Hotline. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY