Why Some Years Are More Colorful

Some autumns are more spectacular than others, and the weather plays a big part.

A run of warm, sunny days followed by cool, crisp nights that don't freeze tends to produce the brightest reds.

Sunny days help leaves make sugars, and cool nights keep those sugars in the leaf, where they can be turned into red pigments.

A very dry summer, or an early hard frost, can make colors duller and cause leaves to drop sooner.

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