Massachusetts' peak fall foliage schedule

Peak fall foliage in New England will be here before you know it.

Why it matters: Your window to view the bright hues might be trickier to predict, as climate change impacts when leaves change — and how colorful they get.

Driving the news: Using historical weather reports, tree species info and user data, travel brand SmokyMountains.com put together 2023 foliage prediction maps of the U.S.

• In and around Massachusetts, leaves are predicted to start changing color next week and reach peak foliage season around Oct. 9.
• The Bay State will likely be past its peak fall colors by the week after.

Be smart: The best places to view fall foliage in Massachusetts include:

• The drive down Route 2 and Route 20 through Concord, Sudbury and Waltham, according to a state guide.
• The bogs around Carver and Wareham and of course Route 9 in the Pioneer Valley.

Between the lines: The green color in leaves comes from chlorophyll, the pigment that helps plants turn sunlight into energy via photosynthesis.

• As nights get longer and there's less sunlight in the fall, leaves stop making chlorophyll.
• The green color fades and the yellows, oranges, reds or purples become visible.