Interactive map offers timeline of Indiana’s fall colors

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — If a popular predictor of fall foliage proves true, we are less than three weeks away from peak fall colors in Indiana. The interactive map from Smokymountains.com annually charts the nationwide changes down to the county-by-county level.

As of this Oct. 10 writing, the map describes the colors in the northern third of Indiana as “partial,” with the rest of the state “patchy.” The dividing line runs roughly from Benton County on the western state line to Adams County to the east.

In one week, the map predicts the scenes will deepen to “near peak” and “partial,” respectively.

• On Oct. 23, the forecast says northern Indiana should be in full fall glory with the rest of the state close behind.
• Oct. 30 will then see most of the state in its richest colors, with the northern third starting to fade.
• By Nov. 6, only Posey County in the southwestern tip of Indiana will still be seeing “peak” colors.

If the timeline seems short, at least the best is still ahead of us; northern Minnesota and Michigan’s upper peninsula are already past their peaks.

Another popular way to gauge Indiana’s colors comes courtesy of the leaf cam in Brown County.

Each year, the camera watches the slow shift from deep green to red, orange, and gold.

This year, the camera is trained on a trailhead of Salt Creek Trail, just outside of Nashville’s Brown County Inn. On Oct. 10, the scene was still largely green, but gold was starting to show on the crowns of the tallest trees in the scene.

Storm Track 8 forecaster Drew Narsutis has also put together a science-based look at the changes to come. In his article, he explains why the weather we’ve had so far may cause the timing and intensity of the colors to be a bit lackluster this year.