WEST VIRGINIA'S PEAK COLORS

Foresters suggest heading to West Virginia’s high country this weekend to see the best fall color in the state. Higher elevations of Grant, Hardy, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph and Tucker counties are reported to be at 80 percent peak

• Tucker County is recommended destination for weekend travel where foliage at the higher elevations is reported to be 75 to 80 percent peak. Foresters recommend driving U.S. Route 219 through Davis and Canaan Valley for a variety of yellow and orange color. Lower elevations of Tucker County are at 40 percent peak.

Each fall, leaves turn breathtaking shades of orange, purple, red, yellow and brown in a fantastic show of nature's glory. But why do leaves change color? Although Jack Frost gets most of the credit, the scientific reason for our beautiful fall foliage is a process called photoperiodism. As the sun moves further south, the hours of daylight shorten and the temperatures fall. This causes leaves to cease production of chlorophyll, the chemical that colors leaves green. As the chlorophyll disappears, the underlying colors of the leaves are unmasked. The next strongest pigment becomes dominant giving the leaves a "new"color.