RALEIGH, N.C. – The landscape of North Carolina is about to shed its sea of green and transform into a beautiful array of colors as we welcome fall on Sept. 23.

Robert Bardon, the associate dean for extension and professor of natural resources at N.C. State, says fall colors will begin in higher elevations toward the end of September.

The colors will then sweep to lower elevations over the next several weeks, making the entire state a good spot to view colors at various points throughout the season.

Spectrum News 1 meteorologist Scott Dean explained the top factors for fall colors:

"The ideal weather conditions that promote the most vibrant colors are bright, sunny, warm days along with clear, crisp nights. During the months of September and October, North Carolina often sees extended stretches of quiet weather that help turn the landscape into a menagerie of color,” Dean said.

Dean says we should hope to avoid a tropical system that can bring strong winds and blow the leaves off the trees.

Bardon mentioned several additional contributors to the vibrancy and colors of trees.

“The two main factors are temperature and soil moisture, which ties back to rainfall that we get every year,” Bardon said. “Daylight triggers as the days get shorter, that signals the trees to begin changing color, and then the temperature.”

“If we have warm, sunny days and cool nights, we'll have our most vibrant colors as long as we have adequate soil moisture,” he said.

Bardon recommends getting out to your local parks and state parks for the best opportunities to catch the colorful season.