As September approaches, fall in Vermont is just around the corner, meaning soon, green summer leaves will transition into a vibrant autumn landscape from the tips of the Green Mountains to the shores of Lake Champlain.

Foliage forecasts from both Yankee Magazine and AccuWeather predict vivid fall colors across Vermont and all of New England, with Yankee Magazine predicting "a spectacular foliage season" with fiery oranges and reds is ahead.

While the region's fall foliage season typically lasts from September up until November, the exact timing of fall colors can vary greatly year-to-year, dependent on factors such as location and weather.

Wondering when exactly the leaves will burst into color in Vermont this autumn? Here are week-by-week foliage forecast maps from the Smoky Mountains website.

This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 8, 2026.
This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 8, 2026.

According to the Smoky Mountains website, Vermont will start to see minimal color changes during the week of Sept. 8, with some patchy fall foliage in the northern part of the state.

This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 15, 2026.
This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 15, 2026.

By mid-September, the entire state will be covered in patchy fall foliage, with the brightest hues in the northern tip of the state.

Partial foliage will be seen in Vermont the following week, with the northernmost part of the state beginning to reach its peak.

More: Yankee Magazine predicts 'spectacular foliage season' in Vermont

This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 29, 2026.
This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Sept. 29, 2026.

As October starts, Vermont will be covered in vibrant autumn color as the entire state starts to peak, with hues reaching their most vivid shades in northern Vermont.

This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Oct. 6, 2026.
This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Oct. 6, 2026.

The Smoky Mountains website predicts that Vermont's peak foliage colors will be reached during the week of Oct. 6, showering most of the state in vivid autumn reds and oranges. Colors in northern Vermont will begin to calm down.

This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Oct. 13, 2026.
This map from the Smoky Mountains website shows predicted fall foliage across the country during the week of Oct. 13, 2026.

By the week of Oct. 13, foliage in Vermont will have passed its peak, though bright colors will continue to shine in other parts of New England at this time. Leaves can be expected to turn duller and darker in color, with many falling to the ground.

Old Farmer's Almanac fall forecast: What Vermont might see this season

As plants receive less and less sunlight in the shortened days of fall, the production of chlorophyll, the production of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes leaves appear green and helps convert sunlight into energy, slows down. Without chlorophyll, the "true" color of leaves comes through, according to the Smoky Mountains website.

Changed leaves then begin to fall off their trees as the trees close off their veins in preparation for protection in winter, meaning the leaves no longer receive nutrients and therefore weaken at the stem.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Week-by-week maps show when 2026 fall foliage will peak in Vermont