Spearfish Canyon is considered among the best places in the state to view fall colors.
One man who tracks the color change each year says the Canyon is now at about 40% of its peak range. But the National Weather Servicehas forecast snow for upper elevations of the Black Hills September 13.
Meteorologists say areas above 5,500 feet could see a late summer snow this week. But this doesn’t concern Jerry Boyer who’s been monitoring Spearfish Canyon’s fall change for years. He says a small amount of snow isn’t enough to harm vegetation. Rather he says it could actually prolong the leaf’s colors.
“The rate of color changing has more to do with dry weather, when we get moisture, it tends to slow it down a bit so it would be maybe we could say good news the more moisture we get so it gives us a longer season,” says Boyer.
Boyer adds that 2016 peak color prediction has already changed.
“Now with the moisture this last week, it may not be as early as I thought, so I thought it was going to be one of the earliest periods we’ve experienced, now it may be more in the middle of the period which is in that range of September 27 to 29,” says Boyer.
More precipitation is possible in the area throughout the week but temperatures are expected to climb back to the lower seventies by September 14. The first day of fall is September 22.