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EXPLORE: In Search of Fall Foliage
Autumn brings amazing scenery to the valley
Fall foliage in Northwest Montana is at near peak form. Dillon Tabish | Flathead Beacon
Autumn and its gallery of colors can be unpredictable.

Sometimes the season can pass by with little spectacle. But this year favorable weather has led to a vibrant display of fall foliage across Northwest Montana.

Many of the area’s forests are in near peak form, meaning most of the trees are fully colored in reds, oranges and yellows, according to The Weather Channel, which tracks fall foliage across the nation.

The U.S. Forest Service has a new website devoted to autumn’s brilliant colors. The site features multimedia and information about the season as well as resources for parents and teachers involving outdoor activities for kids.

Viewing the gallery of colors can be an easy activity to take for granted, though it’s an unpredictable event and the science behind it is anything but simple. Throughout the year, chlorophyll, a chemical in plants and trees, absorbs light and provides energy.

The seasonal transformation begins after temperatures drop and daylight hours shrink. Rainy, overcast days typically increase the intensity of colors.

To view the Forest Service’s Fall Colors website, visit www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors/2012/index.shtml.
 
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Kellyn Brown
Kellyn Brown18 May
@kellynbrown
No, I don't want to read mini-biographies of contributors to your magazine in the front of the book.
Dillon Tabish
Dillon Tabish3h
@djtabish
#AmberAlert issued for 2-year-old Polson girl. http://t.co/jgYbfvCOxr #montana http://t.co/ha9macvWt4
Molly Priddy
Molly Priddy17 May
@mollypriddy
@djtabish You may have $10, but I have the fleeting hope that I'll be a millionaire without having to do any work for it. #lazy
Myers Reece
Myers Reece17 May
@myersreece
Early glimpse at National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest includes shot from National Bison Range in MT. http://t.co/bMSX4hCEhf
Flathead Beacon
FB Headlines7h
@flatheadbeacon
Food Stamp Cuts Emerge as Lawmakers Craft New Farm Bill http://t.co/rtyJIvTImO