Looking forward to leaf-peeping season? Heat and drought conditions may take a toll on this year’s fall colors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's looking like southern Colorado could see an earlier and quicker fall leaf-peeping season.

Experts say that's because of the hot and dry conditions here in Colorado. Fall is officially two weeks away, arriving on September 22.

Some of the highest elevations are already seeing some of the colors changing on the trees in places like Maroon Bells.

Experts are also saying that because of the heat and drought, some of the trees may loose their leaves before reaching peak color.

"I think they'll be more muted," Sharon Harding-Shaw from Harding Nursery said. "The thing that could also happen is you start to get a leaf that is just drier. We had such heat that they are not staying turgent, and so the cells are not as happy as they could be. You start getting discoloration. You get some fall color, but then you also get a heat scorch."

Down in lower elevations, early- to mid-October is when the fall foliage season will be in its peak.

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