Color coated: DNR expects a glorious Minnesota fall leaf season

Stop complaining about all that summer rain. It's about to help deliver a spectacular fall.

Adequate rainfall nearly statewide combined with lots of summer sunshine point to a beautiful fall leaf season in Minnesota, the state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday as it launched its annual fall color finder map.

Rainfall and sunshine throughout the summer months determine the depth of color each fall in Minnesota. Temperatures also come into play — an early freezing frost can cut short fall color, the agency noted.

The west-central and northwestern parts of Minnesota saw less rain this summer than the metro area, although, sometimes less rain (not counting drought conditions) can increase the color display, the DNR said.

Generally, colors peak between mid-September and early October in the northern third of Minnesota, between late September and early October in the central third of the state, and between late September and mid-October in the southern third, which includes the Twin Cities, the agency added.