Ithaca, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Driving through our area, you may notice the trees starting to change color.
"This year's foliage will be good," said Karl Niklas, plant biology professor at Cornell University. "I'm hopeful given the weather that we will actually do a little bit better."
Niklas said we've had a good growing season meaning no droughts or severely cold weather.
"I would expect people to see a really very splendid display of autumn coloration," said Niklas
The coloration will start to the north in higher elevations and then slowly sweep down to lower elevations down state.
As the leaves start to change, New York's tourism gets a boost. The Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance said fall is one of the main contributors to the state's $2.7 billion industry
"We have species that Europeans don't have and species other parts of the US don't have that are particularly good at coloration," said Niklas.
The color the leaves turn depends on the kind of tree it is.
"Different species and different cultivars produce different pigments and different concentrations of pigments," said Niklas
Take a maple tree, for example. As temperatures and daylight decline, the leaves color goes from green to red. It's the tree taking nutrients away from from the leaves and storing them in stems and roots for winter.
Niklas said our area will see fall in full bloom around Halloween.