Sweater weathermay still be weeks away, but Middle Tennessee will soon be painted in shades of yellow, orange and red. Fall foliage is expected to arrive slightly earlier than usual this year, giving leaf-peepers an extended opportunity to enjoy the season's colors.
According to ExploreFall, which tracks fall color forecasts and peak foliage timing across the United States, leaves in Tennessee are expected to begin changing a few days ahead of the historical average.
Here's what to know ahead of leaf-peeping season in Tennessee.
When is the first day of fall?
The fall equinox, which marks the official start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, will occur at 7:04 p.m. CT on Sept. 22, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
What is the autumnal equinox?
The autumnal equinox is the astronomical event that signals
the beginning of fall. It takes place in September in the Northern Hemisphere and in March in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tennessee fall weather predictions 2026
Tennessee, along with Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, can expect a warm, dry fall in 2026.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac's forecast, temperatures in September and October are expected to average about one degree below normal. Rainfall is also projected to be below average, with northern areas receiving roughly two inches less precipitation than usual and southern parts of the region seeing four inches less than normal.
During the fall months, Nashville typically sees cooler temperatures and steady rainfall.
Average temperatures drop from 73 F in September to 61 F in October and 50 F in November, while monthly rainfall remains fairly consistent, averaging 3.8 inches in September and about 3.9 inches in both October and November, according to local climatology data from the National Weather Service.
When will leaves begin to change color in Tennessee?
Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas will begin to see leaves change color from mid to late October. By Oct. 25, much of Middle Tennessee is expected to display moderate fall color.
By early November, high color is expected to spread across the region.
"The first true fall colors should begin to emerge around October 12, with peak color near November 10 and past-peak conditions beginning around November 16," wrote ExploreFall. "Nearby color timing is fairly uniform, so the local forecast should translate well across the area."
When will leaves reach peak color in Tennessee?
Peak color is expected across Middle Tennessee on Nov. 10, two days earlier than the average peak date of Nov. 12. According to ExploreFall, the earlier-than-normal forecast is mainly linked to warm spring temperatures.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville-area fall foliage expected early this year. When leaves peak
