Fall Foliage in DC: The 2016 Peak is Close

Autumn may be finally arriving in D.C. Up in the mountain areas outside of town, fall is definitely in full swing now that the cool weather has returned, with reds, oranges and yellows spreading across the forest landscape. And the urban areas of D.C. will soon follow suit.

Down in the lower areas around town, we're still looking at a lot of green, but there's no question the leaves are starting to change. You can expect some major changes in the coming days, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry's weekly report.

"Lower areas of the mountains statewide range from 50-75% of peak," the report states. "The shades are fairly subdued in some areas, but the views are still picturesque. Most of Shenandoah Valley is below 50% of peak, but expect big changes there in the next week. Many of the oaks statewide are still green, so look for a second wave of color even as the fieriest shades fade."

We're actually about on schedule for fall colors. The eastern third of Virginia, which includes the D.C. area, tends to see peak fall foliage in the Oct. 20-31 time frame.

Image via Flickr user Forest Wander