October 22, 2003

This year's foliage season has been strange to say the least. Many locations have observed a mix of trees that have completely changed and lost their leaves and some (of the same species) that are still mostly green. Typically, the trees change more in unison. Another strange twist is the timing of the change. A few weeks ago, it appeared that the foliage season would be later than most years. However, in early October, there was a stretch of consecutive mild days and very cool, crisp evenings (some areas had many frosts) which accelerated the change. Unfortunately, in the areas that experienced a number of hard frosts, the foliage season did not reach its full potential due to the damage caused by the freezing temperatures. Also, a number of wind events this season brought down many leaves prematurely, especially in the higher elevations. This year is a good example of just how difficult it is to predict the fall foliage.

The foliage season is coming to an end in northern Maine, northern New Hampshire, much of Vermont and in the mountains of New York where peak has passed. Elsewhere in the Northeast, peak conditions dominate with the exception of coastal regions, portions of western New York, much of southern Pennsylvania and most of New Jersey.

Leaf drop across the Northeast is mainly moderate to high. Those areas reporting past peak conditions are noting nearly complete leaf drop.

Need a place to stay? Check out our Places to Stay and Foliage Spotters sections to find great accommodations!

This information provided by Marek D. Rzonca, The Foliage Network. The next report will be released on Saturday, October 25, 2003.

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