ALPENA — There are a lot of variables that affect when leaves change in the autumn and how long they remain on the tree before slowly falling to the earth.

In Northeast Michigan, the fall foliage is in its early stages, but as fall proceeds, more leaves will change color and people will roadtrip to admire the breathtaking brilliance of them.

Alpena/Montmorency Conservation District Forester Brook Alloway said the first leaves to change are basswood and ironwood trees, which are typically a dull yellow or brown color and not all that brilliant. A few weeks later, aspen will begin to change and will be a magnificent yellow and orange color, and maple trees change about the same time, she said.

Maple trees’ leaves are bright red and orange when they change. Oak and several other types of trees change later in the fall and are yellow and brown.

“The peak change generally in Northeast Michigan is around Columbus Day, but that can change depending on how much light the tree has been getting and the amount of water it gets to keep the chlorophyll from breaking down, the leaves drying up and ultimately dying,” Alloway said. “As the chlorophyll breaks down, the leaves change color and, once it is gone, the leaves eventually come apart from the tree.”

Alloway said the amount of precipitation during the spring and summer and the amount of water the tree soaks up helps determine how much chlorophyll is created and how long it will remain in the leaves. She said a wet year could lead to leaves remaining healthier, changing color later, and staying on the tree longer. The opposite is true if there is little water available to the tree and cold weather moves in too quickly. That can lead to poor fall foliage.

“If you get frost, and a freeze and thaw cycle, the cells in the leaves break and that’s when you get a not very colorful fall,” she said. “You will get a lot more brown leaves that don’t stay on the tree very long.”

Alloway said the leaves are just starting to change in the area and is becoming more noticeable when driving or hiking in the area. She said the foliage process will continue to accelerate in the coming weeks and she anticipates the color change will peak about Oct. 15 and wrap up by Halloween.

Alloway said there are many places people can go see the trees in all of their fall splendor. She recommends areas in Pigeon River, local trails, and any state-owned land filled with many hardwood trees.

“There are some absolutely beautiful places to see the trees and just enjoy them,” she said.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.