- Sugars build up in the leaves that help them change colour and develop their vibrant autumn hues
- The changes in colour happen as the trees start to absorb all those nutrients in time for winter
07:48 EST, 20 October 2013
12:54 EST, 20 October 2013
A cold spring and warm summer will result in a spectacular myriad of golden, red, yellow and orange leaves on trees around the UK this autumn.
A year with an ideal mix of sunshine and rain has meant a great growing season for the nation’s trees, providing perfect conditions for the sugars to build up in the leaves that help them change colour and develop their vibrant autumn hues.
To survive throughout the winter, trees store their nutrients in their roots, which means they need to absorb all the nutrients found in their leaves.
Ema Oboleviciute, two, kicks fallen leaves in Lister Park, Bradford, West Yorkshire, as the mild weather continues. She is pictured with her mother, Elona
The changes in colour happen as the trees start to absorb all those nutrients.
Simon Toomer, director of the Forestry Commission’s Westonbirt Arboretum, said: ‘It’s been a fantastic year for our trees, with a balance of warm sunny conditions coupled with a fair amount of rainfall helping photosynthesis and growth.
‘Because it was such a wet summer last year, trees began this summer with plenty of water and have not dried out too much despite the summer heat.
‘We’re predicting that it’ll reach its peak by the third week in October, through to the first week of November.’
Red sky at night: A person uses a phone to capture a beautiful sunset sky in South Derbyshire
The sun sets behind the majestic pinnacles of Durham Cathedral as the world heritage side is shrouded by an autumnal glow following the late afternoon sunshine
Ema Oboleviciute, two, kicks fallen leaves in Lister Park, Bradford and a rainbow over a field in South Derbyshire (right)
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall will continue to fall over Cardiff today offering no respite from the flash flooding that has caused chaos in the city over the weekend.
Police were forced to shut roads in Ely and Culverhouse Cross as localised flooding made conditions treacherous and city shop owners had no option but to close as water seeped in through doors.
Other areas affected included Pentrebane, Llandaff, Roath, Cathays and parts of north Cardiff following heavy rainfall which continued overnight.
Even without the help of sunshine, the yellow autumn leaves in Matlock Bath, on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District are spectacular
The sun makes a brief appearance creating a magical circular rainbow reflected in Ashbourne Park lake, on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District
Ramblers stand and admire the majestic Durham Cathedral shrouded by an autumnal glow in the late afternoon sunshine. The world heritage site is framed by the warming colours of autumn
The heavy downpours and thunderstorms will continue over south Wales throughout the day and over the next few days.
Nick Prebble, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said: ‘Unfortunately there will be no reprieve from the rain today with heavy showers continuing to fall over Cardiff.
‘On top of the rain yesterday and overnight, it is likely there will be more flash flooding today and possibly over the next few days.’
The Rev Jan Gould, priest-in-charge of the Church of the Resurrection in Ely, described the rain as ‘apocalyptic’ and said many roads in the local area were closed because of flooding.
‘The weather was so horrendous and flooding all over the place in west Cardiff and police closed lots of the roads in Ely,’ Ms Gould said.
Majestic: The western towers of Durham Cathedral rise high above the city of Durham which is adorned by vast swathes of woodland showing their autumn colours on the horizon of the Durham Dales
Seeing double: The sun creates a magical double rainbow framing the autumn colour over Ashbourne on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District
Takeaway: A grey squirrel carries an acorn down an oak tree at Cannon Hill Park, in Edgbaston, Birmingham
‘It’s about the worst rain I have ever seen. It was just flash flooding and it was horrendous. Fortunately it didn’t affect us.’
will be a mostly blustery day for most with sunny spells. Bands of
heavy, thundery showers will move northeast across the UK throughout the
day, most frequently in the west, with a risk of localised hail. It
will feel warm in the sunshine.
it will be windy in the south with showers continuing through the night
in the north. Scotland could experience fog while a band of rain will
reach the southwest of England and Wales by dawn.
Strong winds and rain is set to batter the north of England throughout Monday.
at times, it is most likely to affect western and northern areas in
particular. Parts of central and south-eastern England will become drier
and brighter later in the day.
Torrential: Cars battle through the rain on a very dark M27 at 1pm this afternoon in Portchester, Hampshire