When the leaves turn colors across Door County, it is guaranteed to be a good show for residents and visitors alike, but certain weather now can make the display unforgettable. Program Director and Naturalist Coggin Heeringa says the chemicals which turn leaves yellow and orange are always present, hiding under the surface until fall. Sunlight is needed, though, for maples and dogwoods to blaze red.

You can see the phenomena in your own yard. Trees that face south will see that portion turn red while the undergrowth and northside become yellow instead.Temperature doesn’t play a significant factor in fall color unless it is too cold. A series of frosts and hard freezes can cause leaves to fall to the ground, leaving them crunchy and brown prematurely.