PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Fall foliage season is here in the Northeast and surrounding areas, but weeks of drought have caused this year’s foliage to fade and fall to the ground earlier than usual.
Soaking in fall foliage is an annual tradition not only in New England but also in areas such as the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, the chlorophyll in leaves breaks down, turning them into autumnal hues of yellow, orange, and red.
However, dry weather in summer and autumn can change everything, as the leaves turn brown and fall faster due to lack of water. That is what is happening this year as more than 40% of the country was considered to be in catastrophe. drought Early October, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
That’s more than double the average, said Brad Rippey, a meteorologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and author of the Drought Monitor, a partnership between the federal government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The drought is hitting the northeastern and western United States particularly hard, he said.
Add it all up and you’ll see fewer leaves peeking out.
“For the most part, I think this season might be a little bit shorter and less colorful,” Rippy said. “You won’t see this color in some hilly areas this year.”
There are few leaves, but there are many peepers.
Despite the gloomy weather forecast, fall enthusiasts say this is another great year to get outside and enjoy nature’s fireworks display. Andy Finton, senior conservation ecologist at the Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, said there’s still a lot of color left in New England’s trees.
Climate change is feel stressed Although forests are experiencing harsh weather and heat waves, fall in New England remains a beautiful time to experience the wonders of forest ecosystems firsthand, he said.
“Our trees and forests are inherently resilient,” Finton says. “They’re still very resilient and I’m always amazed at how great the fall season is despite these stresses.”
The tourism business built around fall foliage viewing has also proven resilient. At the Mills Falls Resort Collection on the Lake in Meredith, New Hampshire, general manager Barbara Beckwith said business is booming for the four 170-room properties. Beckwith acknowledged that the number of Canadian tourists is down, but said that number is being supplemented by domestic foliage hunters, primarily from New England.
Beckwith said her property was booked strongly on weekends through mid-October, and had remained so for several weeks.
“This year is actually going to be better than last year,” Beckwith said. “Last year we had an election and people felt a lot of anxiety. Now they’re traveling. The election uncertainty is over. We now know who’s president, and we’re traveling.”
Chris Proulx, executive director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. canadian The 80% increase in tourism seen this summer has continued into the fall. But he said things are improving in the region thanks to an increase in tourists from other countries and a reputation for having the best fall foliage season in the country.
“This is the time of year when people plan ahead and visit, as well as domestic and international travelers,” Proulx said.
A quiet show in the Rocky Mountains
Leaf peeping has become so prevalent in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this year that one town has temporarily closed highway shoulders to ease traffic congestion. The area displayed yellow poplar trees dotting the mountains among evergreen trees, their delicate leaves swaying in the breeze.
But Dan West, an entomologist with the Colorado Forest Service, said there are signs of a dry spring in the central part of the state, which will get worse the further west you go. He spends many days in the fall studying how insect infestations are affecting tree health.
Crispy edges, muted colors, and leaves falling off before they turn red or purple are all signs of drought stress, West said.
“The trees are stopping the process early and we’re basically just seeing this quiet kind of show going into the fall,” he said.
Michael Sandberg, an arborist in Denver, said it feels like fall has arrived earlier than usual this year, with fewer vibrant colors than in previous years. He says it’s still a beautiful time, but there may be less to enjoy.
“It’s strange that the mountains peak color so early, but Denver also peaks color at the same time,” he said. “Usually, we don’t really start until late October.”
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Casey reported from Boston. Associated Press journalist Brittany Peterson contributed reporting from Denver.
