Promising forecast for brilliant fall colors

A forest ecologist who has been making foliage predictions for nine years from Clemson University believes there will be brilliant colors this fall in the higher elevations.  Don Hagan paid a visit to the western edge of the Pisgah National Forest, 5,500′ in the air, and saw no evidence of drought-caused stress.  Instead he found a full canopy of leaves on the trees.  Unfortunately, for Hagan, the day he visited was rainy and windy, but he noticed all the leaves still on the trees.  For the days to come, the forecast is bright and sunny, but cooler.