Stellar Season Ahead?
The brilliant hues of orange, yellow, and red. The crunch of dry leaves underneath your feet. The smell of apple cider and pumpkin pie. Fall is an all-out assault on the senses. I'm not alone in calling fall my favorite season. Every year, our Facebook page fills up early with photos of beautiful fall scenes.
After the wild weather year we've had, we deserve to enjoy some cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage. As always, the past year's weather will impact the fall colors.
Crystal and Jim's Fall Adventures
Early Look at 2013 Hurricane Season
Teens Capture Dramatic Video
The Next Severe Threat
The Birth Of A Super Galaxy
In Labor During Tornado 
Record Set: A Snake THIS big
MASSIVE Flooding in China
Raw: Tornado Sends Debris Flying
Moore, OK Before and After 
A First Witness to Disaster
Tales of Survival in Moore
Memorial Day Weekend Forecast
Lost Pets after Tornado 
Similar Storm Paths 
Student Survival Tale
Glimmer of Hope in Destruction 
Families Return to Destruction 
Kids Reunited After Tornado
Storm Watch
Tornado Hits Home for Toby Keith 
Tourists Stuck on Floating Iceberg
Tearful Reunion with Pet
Helping Tornado Victims
A National Look at the Next 3 Days
Dramatic Moments After Tornado 
First Responders in Moore
Flying Home to Destruction 
Teachers Were Heroes
The Cicadas Are Coming!
Pulled From the Rubble Alive 
A Survivor's Tale
The Task of Rebuilding 
A Lighthouse Giveaway
SHOCKING Tornado Video
Man Ripped From Wife's Arms 
First Responders Arrive in Moore
FEMA Ready in Oklahoma 
Mile-Wide Path of Destruction
Storm Chaser: 'Worst I've Seen'
'Twister Inside My House'
Lives Destroyed in Oklahoma
New Jersey Boardwalk Reopens after Sandy
Demolition of Sandy Coaster
Why Can't Penguins Fly?
Joplin Builds Storm-Proof Hospital
Raw: Huge Deadly Tornado
Raw Video: Tourists Die in Balloon
Explosion on the Moon
Safest Place during Tornado 
A Huge Tornado in Kansas
Is This Vehicle Tornado-Proof? 
This Tornado Changed Tornado Science
Tornado on the Ground!
Attack of the Crazy Ants!
What Exploded on the Moon?
What's Lurking in the Water??
WHAT Was on Our Beaches?
Raw Video: Twister Chaos
That's Fascinating! Ring Around the Sun
What It's Like to Survive
Is This Really a Good Idea?
Like Walking in a Dream
Fear of Heights? Don't Watch This!
New Shocking View of TX Tornado
Best Spots for Stargazing
Not One But TWO Tornadoes in View
Wind Farms vs. Birds
Storm Riders Capture Texas Tornado
Most SHOCKING Lightning Strikes
Time Lapse of Stars in Death Valley
A Lighthouse From Every Angle
A CT Scan for the Earth 
Could These Lights Kill? 
Can Weather Affect Your Mood?
New Look with New Radar
A Mini Nuclear Power Plant
All Kinds of Weather Inside
The Adventures of Mighty Bug!
Safest Weather CitiesThis year's unrelenting drought and extreme heat are causing foliage to peak early in some parts of the Central U.S. Trees began dropping leaves in those areas in early September, due to the stress brought on by lack of water and heat.
"We remain ahead of schedule of what we normally see at this point (mid-September) in the season so that is probably going to translate into the fall colors showing up much earlier," said Joe Boggs, assistant professor at The Ohio State University Extension Office.
However, leaf peepers in New England and the Northeast report conditions are good for a stunning year of autumnal colors. Foliage watchers in those areas report they've had lots of good rain and more moderate temperatures, which contribute to the lush colors of fall.
(More: Interactive fall foliage map | Why leaves change color | Top car deals)
"All signs are pointing to another stellar season," reports Jen Butson with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.
For the third year in a row, we asked you to vote for your favorite fall drives. For more than a week, we posted polls for each region and our million+ Facebook fans voted for the best. In the next few pages, check out your favorite fall drives, complete with directions, interesting stops, and must-see vistas for each route.
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