Cooler Weather, Rain Good For Oklahoma Fall Foliage

Cool nights, short days and lots of rainfall. Those are the ingredients that climatologists and foresters say are likely to create a spectacularly colorful fall foliage season in Oklahoma.

The brilliant orange and red hues that adorn hardwood trees in autumn usually peak in the state in late October and early November. But visitors to southeastern Oklahoma's Talimena Scenic Byway, one of the state's most traveled fall foliage drives that stretches from Talihina, Okla., to Mena, Ark., reported a light scattering of yellow last week in the Ouachita National Forest.

Keli Clark, marketing coordinator for Oklahoma State Parks, says leaf peeping makes autumn on of the state's busiest tourist seasons.

State Forester George Geissler says 2013 has the potential for being one of Oklahoma's better years for color changes.