October 29, 2005

In the seven years of running The Foliage Network, this is by far the most difficult year to determine the amount of color. I don't think any location in the region will have a true peak this year. The trees are so out of sync with one another, even within the same species. Some trees are completely bare and others are still completely green. What a strange fall indeed. Another noteworthy observation from many of our spotters is the lack of orange and red hues. This may be due to the lack of sunshine in October.

The foliage has passed peak in much of Maine, northern New Hampshire, much of Vermont and much of northeastern New York. Peak conditions can be found in coastal Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern and western Vermont, the Southern Tier of New York, much of Connecticut, The Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts, portions of southeast Massachusetts, much of Rhode Island, northern Pennsylvania and the higher elevations in northwest New Jersey. Most other areas are reporting high color (61% - 80% change) with moderate color (31% - 60% change) in eastern Massachusetts (greater Boston and North Shore), the lower Hudson Valley in New York, southeast and southwest Pennsylvania and central and southern New Jersey.

Leaf drop is high to nearly complete in areas where color is at or past peak. Elsewhere in the region, leaf drop is mostly moderate to high.

Looking for a place to stay? Please visit our Places to Stay and Foliage Spotters sections to find great accommodations!

This information provided by Marek D. Rzonca, The Foliage Network.

Next report: Wednesday, November 2, 2005