Fall is catching up: Head north for the best colors this weekend
Fall has been delayed this year thanks to the prolonged summertime, but now it's starting to catch up.
According to the latest Fall Color Index from the Minnesota DNR, color-seekers should head to northern Minnesota this weekend, as parts of the state are reaching "peak color."
The southern half of Minnesota is still playing catch-up, thanks to the warmest September in record in Minnesota, but now 25-50 percent of trees in much of central Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, have changed their color.
If the acceleration seen over the past week is anything to go by, next weekend will be a much more fruitful time to see some fall colors around the Twin Cities.
MPR says the colors this year will be better than usual, thanks to a lot of rain over the summer, relatively little "extreme" heat (over 90 degrees) and a "lack of drought stress."
The news organization suggests the best places to see fall colors this weekend will be Scenic State Park in Big Fork, George Crosby Manitou State Park on the north shore, and at the "home of the Mississippi headwaters" Itasca State Park in Park Rapids.
The National Weather Service says Minnesota and Wisconsin will get "classic fall weather" this weekend – crisp mornings and sunny days, with temperatures reaching a high of around 60.
KFGO says this will mean perfect conditions for an "early fall drive."
