Fall leaves are breathtaking to look at. Learn why they change colors and what makes vibrant fall foliage possible.
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00:00 There is beauty in the breakdown of chlorophyll.
00:03 - That chlorophyll is a pigment
00:05 which causes the leaves to be green.
00:07 And when the leaves are green,
00:09 they're able to absorb the sunlight
00:11 and then convert that into sugars.
00:14 - This changes in the fall when temperatures begin to drop
00:17 and the sunlight becomes less direct.
00:20 - As the chlorophyll becomes less dominant,
00:23 then other pigments come into play.
00:26 - Those pigments vary depending on the molecules
00:29 of the leaves.
00:29 - Warm, bright, sunny days extend leaves life
00:32 while cool dights preserve soil moisture.
00:35 - When you have those conditions,
00:37 you're gonna see the progressive,
00:39 the natural progression of the trees turning colors
00:42 and you'll have the best colors.
00:44 - The longer the leaves stick around,
00:46 the healthier the tree will likely be next spring.
00:49 - That tree will then be able to survive the winter
00:53 and then we'll have that boost during the next spring.
00:57 - For AccuWeather, I'm Jeff Cornish.