It’s fall in North Texas and the leaves are changing color — but why do they change? NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist Rick Mitchell explains.
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It's fall in North Texas and the leaves are changing color. This occurs as the weather turns cooler combined with a decrease in daylight.
When trees in North Texas begin to experience cooler weather, high temperatures in the 60s, it is a signal for them to stop sending water to their leaves. At the same time, the decreasing daylight leads to a stop in photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction that takes place within the leaves that converts sunlight to a source of food energy for the tree. As photosynthesis stops, the production of chlorophyll stops. This leads to a change in the color of the leaves. The green fades away, leaving the yellow, red and orange colors.
Get the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here.
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