The AccuWeather 2021 fall foliage forecast projects the Tar Heel state will see brighter leaves on trees this year, with especially striking yellows and oranges in the mountains.
One thing to watch, however, is tropical weather. If a windy tropical system moves through the area around peak leaf season, it would blow off the leaves before they reach their most beautiful.
"Last year, trees became stressed later in the summer in parts of the Northeast due to a couple of extended periods of dryness," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said. "As a result, there were early leaf droppings, and the brightness was OK, but not great."
Breathtaking drone footage captures fall foliage
Experts say the fall colors in the mountains will be on display starting at the end of September and lasting through the first week of November.