TYLER, Texas (KETK) – There is a stunning sight all around East Texas and in your neighborhoods because the leaves are changing into beautiful colors.

After the drought this summer, trees are bouncing back and the cold is also an important factor.

An agriculture expert says both the hot and cold extreme weather conditions we have seen this year have helped our trees more than expected.

“I’ve been here for seven or eight years, and this is the first time I’ve noticed the colors,” said Kaitlynn Perez, a Tyler resident.

East Texas saw extreme heat and drought conditions this spring and summer drastically affecting tree growth and leaf production. Some experts even believed that we would not see the turn of fall colors this year.

“Drought stress in the leaf can cause the leaf to become more stressed, and when plants are stressed sometimes they can produce some of these color compounds like reds,” said Jared Barnes, an Associate Professor of Horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University.

This time of year when our clocks fall back one hour the sunlight needed for sugars to be made is limited. This lets the plants know that it’s time to go dormant and the leaves to fall off the tree.

“They will then start scavenging some of those nutrients from the leaves,” said Barnes.

An important factor in the leaves turning such bright colors like this yellow is the recent cold snap we’ve seen here in East Texas.

“In warm falls you have more sugars move back into the plant and so our fall colors are less but in cool falls you have less sugar move into the plant. More sugar stays in the leave and that intensifies the color,” said Barnes.