Peak leaf-peeping is coming up, Seattle

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

• In the Seattle area, leaves start changing colors around the last week of September, reach near peak in the first two weeks of October, and are past peak by the end of the month.

Yes, but: Rain and wind can end the season early by knocking leaves off the trees.

Lively foliage displays can be found at many Seattle parks, including Discovery Park, the Washington Park Arboretum and Kubota Garden.

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.