North Carolina's fall foliage forecast for 2026

The fall foliage forecast is out for 2026! WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell spoke with a local expert to go over what our leaves will do this year. The heat, along with inconsistent rain over the summer, has put our area in a less-than-favorable position for fall foliage.

What does that mean for the timeline for leaves to change colors? Are there still places in North Carolina where we can see those bright colors pop? Campbell and WRAL's Louis Fernandez spoke through what we can expect.

The WRAL Daily Download is an in-depth conversation about a single news story. WRAL covers news across North Carolina every day, but this podcast focuses on one story at a time, bringing context to each conversation. The in-depth, localized podcast takes you into the latest stories from Raleigh, Durham, and the entire Triangle region on North Carolina. This is community news aimed at keeping you informed about the more subtle stories that are happening around you. Hosted by WRAL News journalists, episodes post weekdays by 4:30am.