Fall is officially here, and the leaves are beginning to change colors in Pittsburgh — though they won’t hit their seasonal peak for nearly a month, according to one map.
SmokyMountains.com created a map showing a timeline of when fall foliage is expected to peak across the United States. Autumn colors are beginning to show up in Pittsburgh, and over the next few weeks, the city will see more and more bright fall foliage as leaf peeping season reaches its peak next month.
Here’s when a timeline of when the leaves will change color in Pittsburgh this fall.
Are leaves changing color yet in Pittsburgh?
Yes. Throughout the city, trees here and there were already beginning to see a change in the colors of their leaves by late August, though Smoky Mountains’ map showed no change in colors until Sept. 15. At that point, there was minimal change near the city.
By Sept. 22, the first day of autumn, the city and surrounding area was expected to see minimal to patchy fall colors, according to the map.
When will fall foliage peak in Pittsburgh?
Fall foliage in Pittsburgh is likely to peak around Oct. 20, according to Smoky Mountains’ map. Areas to the north and east of the city will likely hit their peak a week earlier, around Oct. 13.
Fall temperatures, rainfall in Pittsburgh
The average temperature in Pittsburgh from September to November typically ranges from 52–58 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
A three-month weather outlook issued in the summer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which shows the likelihood of temperatures being above or below the seasonal average throughout the country, indicated that nearly all of Pennsylvania except a small southwest corner will have a 33-40% chance of seeing above-normal fall temperature. Pittsburgh was right on the edge of that zone.
Pittsburgh is also expected to see typical rainfall this fall, with NOAA predicting equal chances of normal precipitation for nearly all of Pennsylvania except the northernmost strip, which has a 33-40% chance of seeing less precipitation than usual.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.