When will Kentucky’s fall colors peak in 2025?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — With the cooler temperatures coming, fall foliage is returning. But when will we get to see the signature vivid fall colors?

Depending on where you live, the leaves will start taking on their fall shades of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns at different times.

The Smoky Mountains 2025 Fall Foliage Prediction map predicted the peak fall color season will be around Oct. 27.

Kentucky is split roughly into three sections, though, with the far east peaking first around Oct. 20, then central and the northwest around Oct. 27, and finally southern and southwestern Kentucky in early October.

“Another important part of leaf-peeping is knowing the right time to go!” according to the Almanac. “For the best experience, not only should leaves be near their peak colors, but the weather should be agreeable, too.”

The map is a prediction of foliage changes, but those changes depend on local weather, including wetness and temperature.

The U.S. Forest Service said drought conditions, like those Kentucky saw in late August, can delay the onset of fall color by a few weeks.

“A warm, wet spring, favorable summer weather, and warm, sunny fall days with cool nights should produce the most brilliant autumn colors,” reads the first service’s guide to fall foliage.

On Sept. 11, the National Integrated Drought Information System reported that 37.8% of Kentucky has experienced abnormally dry conditions and 44.1% experienced moderately dry conditions. The report said 46.8% of Kentucky’s land is in drought territory. The National Integrated Drought Information System updates its Kentucky map every Thursday.

Last year, Kentucky’s fall colors peaked in the eastern portion of the state around Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 for the western parts.