Q. Will you print a list of the Eastern states' phone numbers so we can find out the peak weeks for seeing the fall leaves in the mountains? -- O.W.
A. The prime time to see fall color in the North Carolina mountains is the second or third week in October. The peak time won't be the same everywhere because leaves in the higher elevations change colors earlier. North Carolina's Travel and Tourism Web site, www.visitnc.com, updates its weekly fall foliage reports each Tuesday. Howard S. Neufeld, a professor of plant physiology at Appalachian State University, reports for the mountain region of North Carolina. According to his Oct. 6 report, he expects a predominance of yellows and oranges this year, with fewer reds. Some maples, though, have truly intense red colors this year, he writes. Neufeld suggests driving the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Virginia border down to Asheville, and especially around Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell. The Web site features a fall-color forecaster that lets you see the expected color progression across the state through mid-November. You can also call 1-866-6LEAVES for information. For recorded information on fall foliage colors in other states, call the U.S. Forest Service hot line at 800-354-4595 and select a region. Press 8 for Southern states (from Virginia south and westward to Texas), and press 9 for states in the Eastern region. In some regions, it is still early for fall color, so current updates may be brief. Information will be updated as the season progresses.
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