Report: Fall color show this week; Sun returns Wednesday?

Leaf Peeper Alert: Fall colors exploding

This looks like the week (and weekend!) where fall colors are really popping in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Some areas of the state are now showing more than 50% color!

Check out the latest fall color report from the Minnesota DNR.

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Unusual fall color pattern in Minnesota this year:

Look at the map above, and then take a look at the map below.

You can see "peak color" is different than the norm this year, with areas near the Minnesota River near New Ulm peaking before areas to the north.

Now look at the drought map below.

Notice how well the color shift corresponds to drought stressed areas!

Many factors affect fall color displays:

It turns out there are several variables that determine when colors change and how vibrant they are. The details from the Minnesota DNR's Jana Albers.

Nicer Wednesday & weekend ahead!

Let's just call it what it is this week in the metro. The Twin Cities and southeast Minnesota got hosed this week when it comes to sunshine and nice weather, while much of the rest of Minnesota enjoyed sunny warm days.

70s and sunshine ruled most of western & northern Minnesota this week while clouds and spotty showers hung from the metro to Rochester.

GOES 1km visible with temps overlayed. 70s and sunny west!

The pesky persistent upper low will finally give some ground Wednesday. That should be enough to bring sunshine into the metro, and boost temps well into the 70s. I'm not ready to guarantee sun all of Wednesday just yet...this upper low has been a bear to move east! Weather fingers & toes crossed!

A strong cool front will drop temps Thursday & Friday, but bring more sun. Lows may dip into the 30s Saturday morning for a potential frost threat.

Right now the first weekend of October (how did that happen?) looks spectacular with sunshine and highs in the 70s by Sunday.

PH