Leaf peepers, mark your calendars.

Though fall doesn’t officially begin until Sept. 22, some leaves around Maryland are already starting to turn, and more significant color changes are expected in the coming weeks, the Department of Natural Resources said.

Fall foliage around Maryland will peak around Oct. 11 in Western Maryland and around Nov. 1 near Baltimore, according to a prediction published Thursday.

The DNR puts out these predictions each year and follows them up with weekly reports on how foliage is actually progressing.

And this year, we’re in for a “colorful” fall, according to the department.

“We are seeing some trees turn early in Garrett County, with a combination of the dry weather and leaf spot that has affected many maples,” Melissa Nash, a forester in Allegany and Garrett counties, said in a statement.

Foliage peaked a bit early last year because it was an especially dry summer. Rainfall in spring and early summer means we should have a colorful fall — but more recent dry conditions mean the trees are starting to prepare for winter now.

Leaves in Maryland typically begin changing out west first, then toward Central Maryland and out onto the Eastern Shore. For the best views and mountain vistas, you may want to plan early to travel to Cunningham Falls State Park or Rocky Gap State Park.

If you’re looking to travel to New England, predictions say the foliage there will peak weeks earlier than in Maryland, around the weeks of Sept. 29 or Oct. 6. Leaves in Shenandoah National Park are expected to peak around those weeks.

Expected fall weather

You might want to drink your apple cider cold and your pumpkin spice latte on ice this year.

Scientists at the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center say Maryland has a 40%-60% chance of having above-average temperatures for the months of September, October and November.

Maryland — along with much of the country — has about even chances of seeing a drier autumn than average and a wetter autumn than average, according to the long-range forecast.

More immediately, however, large parts of Maryland remain under drought conditions. August was “very” dry, according to the National Weather Service, and September is off to a dry start.