ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Fans of Minnesota's fall color season, get yourselves fired up.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the upcoming fall colors could be the best in 10 years.
"With adequate rain during the growing season for two consecutive years and recent weather patterns that have included the ideal combination of warm, sunny days and cool evenings, we're predicting an especially vivid display of color across the state in the weeks ahead," said Jana Albers, DNR forest health specialist.
Those wondering when and where to schedule weekend getaways to catch the colors at peak can visit the DNR website for online fall color reports, provided by staff at Minnesota parks and recreation areas statewide.
Beginning this week reports will include percentage of color change, peak color projections, flowers and grasses in bloom, and three state parks considered "hot picks" of the week. The reports will be updated by noon every Thursday.
The DNR also says fall color information can be accessed from mobile phones like Android and iPhone. iPod Touch and iPad are also supported.
People can use any WebKit-based browser (Chrome or Safari) to view the website, which features real-time access to fall color reports and integration with Google maps.
Fall colors typically peak between mid-September and early October in the northern third of Minnesota, between late September and early October in the central third, and between late September and mid-October in the southern third of the state (which includes the Twin Cities).
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