Ever wonder what makes some leaves turn shades of read, orange and yellow in autumn? Many folks think colder weather is what brings on the color. There’s even a legend that Jack Frost is responsible — creating the reds and purples by pinching the leaves with his icy fingers and adding yellow, gold and brown hues as he moves from tree to tree with his paintbrush on frosty nights.

Scientists acknowledge that the onset of cooler temperatures is part of the process, but a premature frost actually reduces autumn color.

What really happens is that shorter days, in conjunction with cooler temperatures, signal the plant to prepare for winter, and the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves declines.

Chlorophyll is the substance in leaves that enables trees to combine water, soil nutrients and carbon dioxide into the carbohydrates necessary for tree growth during the growing season. It also gives leaves their green color.

Depending upon the type of tree, there are red, yellow and orange pigments in the leaves, too.

Fall foliage is more colorful some years than others. The yellowish shades always appear, but the red color is sometimes more pronounced. This intense red combined with the other pigments turns the landscape into a vibrant blaze of orange, pink, purple and all shades in between.

The best weather for the formation of dazzling reds is bright sunny days followed by cool nights below 45^o, but above freezing. That allows the maximum development of red pigments in the leaves.

On the other hand, a rainy or cloudy spell near the time when colors should be at their peak reduces their intensity.

Colorful autumn leaves go hand in hand with fall activities — picking apples, harvesting pumpkins and watching migrant birds. But eventually the flow of nutrients to the leaves slows to a halt and the leaf stems weaken. That’s when a gust of wind or rain will bring the leaves tumbling to the ground.

What’s left are colorful memories that warm us as winter descends and carry us through the year until the beauty of autumn arrives again.