MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fall in Memphis means cooler temperatures, Grizzlies basketball, and fall colors. Many of us will take some time to marvel at those beautiful fall colors as the leaves begin to change.
Through the summer months, longer days and more sunlight aid the photosynthesis process which leads to production of Chlorophyll cells. It's this Chlorophyll that keeps leaves green through spring and summer.
In fall, as the amount of sunlight decreases, the process of photosynthesis slows, decreasing the amount of Chlorophyll that is produced. With less Chlorophyll, leaves turn various shades of orange, red, and yellow.
According to SmokyMountains.com, which tracks and predicts fall foliage each year, Memphis can expect those leaves to begin to change by the last week of October, with the brightest fall colors expected by the second week of November.
Best places to see fall foliage in the Memphis area
- Main Street trolley line
- Court Square Park
- Pine Lake at Shelby Farms Park
- Wolf River Greenway
- Greenbelt Park
- Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
- Overton Park
- Rhodes College
If you want to travel a bit further to see the best fall foliage, the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas and the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee would make for a good weekend trip. Fall colors usually peak a few weeks earlier in the mountains than they do in Memphis.
If you see beautiful fall colors in your neighborhood, we want to see them! You can text photos of fall foliage to ABC24 at 901-321-7520 or submit it on the free ABC24 app.
