October is typically the month for color change across North Carolina and it should be no different this year.  Leaf color is now showing up in the higher elevations of the state.  Fall foliage will begin to change rapidly in central North Carolina between the 15th and 20th.  By the end of October we will be at peak color across the mountains with low to moderate color change occurring in our area.  Peak color will likely not arrive in eastern North Carolina until the early to middle part of November.  By mid-November the leaves will be off most of the deciduous trees in central and western North Carolina.  Of course, heavy rain could knock some of the leaves off the trees earlier than those dates.