COLUMBUS, OH – Autumn will soon begin showing her “true colors” of red, orange, gold and purple across much of Ohio, despite an exceptionally hot and dry summer.

Foresters with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) say summer’s sizzling days will have little effect on the state’s upcoming fall color season – except in some urban areas where trees are more subject to stress.

“It’s the longer, cool nights and shorter, sunny days of mid and late September that really influence the vibrancy and duration of Ohio’s annual ‘forest fireworks,’” said Casey Munchel, fall color forester with the ODNR Division of Forestry. “Although in urban areas, where trees are more prone to stress, hot summer temperatures have accelerated the seasonal change among oaks and ashes.

Munchel noted buckeye trees, traditionally among the first to turn, are already donning their vivid yellow canopies.

Late September marks the start of color change in northern Ohio, with the transition moving south throughout October. By mid October, most of the state should be in peak color.

Weekly updates on the best places to view Fall Color will be posted, beginning Thursday, September 29, at ohiodnr.com. Photos showing the progress of autumn across Ohio will also be posted on the web site, as well as tips on the best Fall Color vistas and the best places to hike and bike.

Ohioans are lucky to live in a state with such a diverse tree species composition, Munchel added.

“Ohio is a state of ecological transition, northern species are on the southern edge of their range and southern species are on their northern edge here,” she noted. “That gives the state a rich variety of trees and a vivid fall palette of purples, oranges, reds and golds.”

Trees now cover more than 30 percent of the Ohio landscape – up from only 12 percent in 1900. Much of that forest cover is concentrated in the eastern and southern third of the state, although good Fall Color can be found in virtually every region.

Ohioans and out-of-state visitors who enjoy viewing the state’s Fall Color in a variety of locations can call the 1-800-BUCKEYE information line for the latest forecasts. Internet users can visit ohiodnr.com or discoverohio.com for a complete list of Fall Color activities and events around the state.