Fall color 2023: Here's when and where to see leaves change in NC

As the seasons change, temperatures get cooler and nights are longer, which means trees get less sunlight.

The lack of sunlight causes the chlorophyll within the leaves to break down. Chlorophyll is a compound that makes leaves green. The lack of chlorophyll reveals the orange, yellow, red and sometimes purple pigments underneath.

Some parts of western NC have already started to see fall colors in their trees. Those living in western NC will tend to see these changes sooner due to the higher elevation. In the North Carolina mountains, leaves begin to change in late September to mid-October. Counties in central and eastern NC won't see leaf changes until early November.

High temperatures impact leaves' ability to change, which could delay the changing of colors or make the foliage not as vibrant.

WRAL Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner gave specific times when different parts of North Carolina might experience fall changes:

Some of the best places to see fall colors in North Carolina are west of the Triangle, in the mountains.

Gardner highly recommends going to the Blue Ridge Parkway that spans over 400 miles and captures the beauty of the mountains especially during the peak fall season. This includes towns like Boone, Asheville and Blowing Rock which will see peak fall foliage between October to early November.