ETSU will start releasing fall color predictions every Thursday of the season to give students the opportunity to enjoy the fall season. 

The Appalachian Mountains provide the potential for a beautiful and colorful fall season, but it may be hard to know which days are going to be the most colorful. ETSU plans to help the community understand when the best views will be available. Travis Watson, the university’s campus arborist, will be leading these predictions.  

“I am using the national prediction map produced by Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the regional predictions produced by Appalachian State University as the basis for my predictions and adapting them to the topography and local weather for the Tri-Cities region, based on my understanding of how specific factors can affect color change and leaf retention,” Watson said. 

In the area, colors can change fast due to different factors and it can be challenging to know when colors will start to change. Watson hopes to help people understand the area and get involved more in nature.

Photo of fallen leaves on campus. (Gabriella Collins/East Tennessean)

“These predictions are a community outreach intended to support the university mission of ‘improving the quality of life for the people of the region and beyond,’” Watson said. 

ETSU offers amazing views, trails and unique landscapes for students to enjoy. Students are encouraged to get out there and explore the area they are in. Whether students are local or new to the area, there is always something new to see in the diverse area. 

“My hope is that these segments will help the community engage with ETSU and gain a better appreciation for and understanding of the amazing biodiversity of the Southern Appalachian Highlands and Northeast Tennessee,” Watson said. 

The predictions will start this Thursday and will continue throughout the fall season. Students can find these predictions on ETSU news or on social media. 

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