How Weather changes leaf colours

As autumn arrives the green leaves on trees slowly begin to change colour. They turn beautiful shades of yellow red and orange.

But have you ever wondered why this happens?

The reason is quite interesting. It is mainly linked to sunlight temperature and a natural substance called chlorophyll.

Why do leaves turn yellow and red?

During most of the year, leaves stay green because they contain a substance called chlorophyll.

It helps plants absorb sunlight and use it to make their food through a process called photosynthesis.

However when autumn arrives the days become shorter and temperatures begin to drop.  As a result trees receive less sunlight and the amount of chlorophyll in their leaves starts to decrease.

When the green colour fades other natural colours in the leaves become more visible. These include yellow orange and red.

What makes Autumn colours more beautiful?

Weather conditions also play an important role in changing the colour of leaves. Bright sunny days followed by cool and dry nights often help produce more beautiful autumn colours.

However the colours may be less noticeable in places where the weather remains warm or cloudy.

In simple words less sunlight and cooler temperatures cause chlorophyll to break down, allowing other colours to appear.

Why do leaves fall from trees?

As winter approaches trees begin to prepare for colder weather. They form a protective layer between the leaves and branches which gradually blocks the supply of water and nutrients to the leaves.

During this process trees also try to store important nutrients for future growth.

Eventually the leaves become dry separate from the branches and fall to the ground.  This natural process helps trees survive the cold winter months and prepare for the next growing season.