Minnesota DNR Shares Official Fall Colors Outlook For 2025

Trees have been starting to turn over the last few weeks as days get shorter and we start getting doses of cooler temperatures across Minnesota.

Those two factors of shortening days and cooler temperatures are a couple of the key pieces to flipping the switch on bringing out the autumn hues across Minnesota each fall.

In a recent update from the Minnesota DNR, they shared what to expect from this year's fall colors across the state.

One of the key things officials with the DNR highlighted is that it is hard to pinpoint when we could see peak fall colors each year. Being accurate forecasts for when we will see the right weather conditions to really kick trees into autumn mode don't extend more than a week out; much of an annual prediction is based on a combination of historical averages and what the weather was like during the growing season.

READ MORE: When is the best time to visit Northern Minnesota for peak fall colors?

The good news is that the DNR says the growing season was pretty promising overall this year across Minnesota. After a few years of wild extremes with drought or heavy rain, 2025 was a little more even-keeled. Despite a dry spring, the summer set things up for a good fall colors season. Now, it just comes down to this fall's weather.

On average, Northern Minnesota sees peak fall colors arriving by the first week of October, with peak reaching Central Minnesota by around October 10 and Southern Minnesota a week later.

An early light frost can accelerate the process, or sustained warm weather can push back those dates. While we've had some cooler weather lately, the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a likelihood of warmer-than-normal temperatures through the end of September, which could push back peak fall colors a little bit.

Considering that, unless we see an unexpected cold snap or some particularly chilly overnight temperatures soon, it seems like a pretty safe bet to expect peak fall colors a little later than the normal timeframes I mentioned above.

As I am writing this right now, portions of Northern, Central, and Southeastern Minnesota have started to see reports of 10-25% fall color according to the Minnesota DNR's Fall Colors Map. A small pocket of 25-50% can be found near St. Croix State Park in the Hinckley area.