<body><div><p>DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) -Fall officially arrives Tuesday with the autumn equinox, but if you’re waiting for the best fall colors across the Quad Cities, patience may be required this year.</p><p>The equinox marks the astronomical start of fall, when the sun crosses directly over Earth’s equator. While many describe the equinox as the day when we get exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, that’s not quite accurate for our area.</p><p>Here in the Quad Cities, we actually get a little more than 12 hours of daylight on the equinox. Sunrise and sunset are measured using the top edge of the sun rather than its center. Additionally, Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight, allowing us to see the sun for a few minutes even when it’s technically below the horizon.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3EvnHN_1FORBpWU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3EvnHN_1FORBpWU00" width="1300" height="730" ><figcaption>Nearly 2 minutes a day right now. (kwqc)</figcaption></figure><p>The equinox does mark an important turning point: our rapidly shrinking daylight. Those increasingly longer nights send a critical signal to our trees, it’s time to prepare for winter.</p><h2>Shortening days trigger the color change</h2><p>Shortening daylight is the primary trigger for fall color. As nights get longer, trees begin shutting down chlorophyll production. As the green chlorophyll disappears, the yellows, oranges and reds we associate with fall become visible.</p><p>Weather then determines how quickly that process happens and how vibrant our fall colors become.</p><p>Typically, the Quad Cities reaches peak fall color around mid-October. However, this year’s foliage forecast suggests peak color could arrive later, closer to late October.</p><h2>Will wet weather slow down the colors?</h2><p>Our wet finish to September could play a role in timing, but it’s a mixed bag.</p><p>The rain itself isn’t necessarily bad for fall color. Adequate soil moisture helps keep trees healthy and can prevent drought stress, which sometimes causes leaves to turn brown or fall before reaching peak color.</p><p>However, prolonged cloudy, wet and mild weather isn’t the ideal recipe for brilliant fall colors.</p><p>The best combination is straightforward: sunny fall days, adequate moisture and cool nights that stay above freezing.</p><p>That makes the weather over the next few weeks critical. A transition toward more sunshine and cooler nights would favor the development of better fall color. If mild, cloudy and wet conditions continue, the transition could be slower and colors may be less vibrant.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1mWlDc_1FORBpWU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1mWlDc_1FORBpWU00" width="1300" height="730" ><figcaption>Locally (kwqc)</figcaption></figure><h2>Watch for storms near peak color</h2><p>Once the leaves do change, we’ll also be monitoring for strong winds and heavy rain. A storm arriving near peak color can quickly knock leaves from the trees and shorten the show.</p><p>While fall officially begins with the equinox, Mother Nature doesn’t necessarily follow the calendar. For the Quad Cities, the best colors usually arrive around mid-October. This year, some forecasts suggest we may have to wait until later in the month to see fall at its best.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1bBaI2_1FORBpWU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1bBaI2_1FORBpWU00" width="1300" height="730" ><figcaption>Expectations (KWQC)</figcaption></figure></div></body>

Block Source: KWQC

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) -Fall officially arrives Tuesday with the autumn equinox, but if you’re waiting for the best fall colors across the Quad Cities, patience may be required this year. The equinox marks the astronomical start of fall, when the sun crosses directly over Earth’s equator. While many describe...

Fall is officially here, but peak colors may arrive later this year

NewsBreak

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) -Fall officially arrives Tuesday with the autumn equinox, but if you’re waiting for the best fall colors across the Quad Cities, pat

Fall is officially here, but peak colors may arrive later this year

Comments