Wisconsin's famed fall colors decided to show up (fashionably) late this year

Ope! Someone better tell Fall it's time to kick it into high-gear. Here we are, leaf huntin', just trying to impress a significant other (or keep from binging Squid Games), and the fall colors forgot to show up. Tsk tsk tsk...

While procrastinators and leaf-peeping junkies may rejoice at the late-season peakage we're experiencing, our delayed fall colors are actually a sign that things aren't exactly going to plan in Wisconsin's weather.

Leaves: For Dummies

To get the (custard) scoop on where things went awry, ya gotta understand a little bit of biology. And don't worry - this won't be like the time you brought a 6-month old brat in for the science fair.

Here's a simplified rundown:

1. Leaves get their green color from something called chlorophyll, which they create from the sun. As our sunny days come to an end, less and less chlorophyll is created.

2. With less green in the leaves, underlying hues of orange and yellow can shine through due to the carotenoid already present.

3. With longer, cooler nights, more sugar is trapped in the leaves, giving off purple and red coloration.

Warmer temps + Dryer conditions = Late peaks

To ensure an on-time arrival of our Fall colors, a few things need to happen:

• A warm, wet spring

• A summer that isn't too dry or too hot

• Fall days that have plenty of cool nights

Well folks, that's where it went off the rails.

Wisconsin just had its 3rd warmest year since 1871 (1921 and 2012 took 1st and 2nd). Our average maximum fall temperature has risen 3 degrees since 1950, and we're missing about 10 inches of rainfall this year.

This all spells out delayed coloration, less vibrant hues, and possibly a shorter peak window. Talk about a buzz kill.

The good news is, barring any crazy snowstorms that threaten our leaves (and limbs), we should see some colors still if our nights stay nice and cool. Check out the other-Wisconsin-news-source-which-must-not-be-named's tracker to find up-to-date coloration stats for your county.