Ozark Fall Foliage Trip Planning
for the North Central Arkansas & South Central
Missouri Corridor
Norfork Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, White
River, Glade Top Trail, and Ozark National Forest areas
Details To Guidelines
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Rule 3 Details - Watch The Weather
Over the years we relied on numerous weather reports from many sources. Weather to us was
important not only for keeping track of what would happen in color development, but for
light conditions needed for good photography and video. Here is what we recommend for
weather reporting.
Forget all the big national weather sites. Forget all the big TV
show weather reports. Year after year, day after day, in comparing all weather report
sources for the most accurate weather reporting - and for foliage reporting, we found that
KY3 TV out of Springfield Missouri is way better than all the rest. Springfield is almost
in the center of the Ozarks. The KY3 forecast was almost always what we met out in the
field. Their forecasts were accurate within hours.
Go to http://www.ky3.com/weather
and at the top of that page will be a 7 day forecast, radar maps, and a long list of other
excellent weather features. Of particular interests are the video forecasts of chief
meteorologist Ron Hearst, and also Brandon Beck. You can also download apps for
smartphones at the KY3 web site. Once you are in the area watch these forecasts one way or
another twice a day.
The weather patterns you want to see for grand foliage are cool
sunny days, as in no warmer than 60 to 65 degrees, with no clouds or only short periods of
cloud coverage. These cool sunny days need to be followed by even cooler nights having
temperatures in the low 50's and mid to lower 40's. These temperature conditions need to
be present for at least a week just prior to the dates given here for False and True
peaks. And they need to persist during the peak color periods.
What has happened in about half of all our years of reporting is
that we get near perfect foliage-producing weather conditions. Beautiful clear cool days
followed by wonderful crisp fall nights. The colors turn fast and well. Then, as peak
approaches, here comes a kill-joy warm front. And warm fronts always seem to come with
lots of clouds. If a cloudy warm front lasts more than two days, damage is done. Foliage
will not be as bright. The longer it lasts, the duller foliage gets.
Details To Guidelines
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