Fall Foliage Could Look Different This Year—Here's What to Expect

Fall foliage is a highly anticipated event each season. As the leaves gradually change to vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, people travel from near and far to admire the stunning display. However, weather conditions such as drought can significantly affect this beautiful transformation.

This year's drought has notably impacted foliage, causing many trees and plants to appear less vibrant than usual. Nonetheless, there will still be plenty of beautiful foliage to see—it just may not be as impressive. To set your expectations, we spoke with a leading scientist who explained how drought can significantly impact the vibrancy of fall foliage.

Regions Affected by Drought

The entire Northeast is experiencing drought conditions this fall, says Maggie Reiter, lead scientist at Sunday. The most severely impacted areas are Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. "Vermont, in particular, is having the worst drought since modern drought monitoring began in the year 2000," shares Reiter. She explains that drought can directly affect trees and autumn leaf coloration, which could impact regions experiencing drought this year. Fortunately, in regions unaffected by drought conditions, it should be business as usual this fall.

How Drought Impacts Fall Foliage

In dry conditions, trees tend to change color earlier and shed their leaves more quickly, says Reiter, resulting in an autumn color display that is shorter, less vibrant, and reaches its peak earlier. Here are the primary ways drought can affect the highly anticipated transformation of fall foliage.

Premature Leaf Drop

If you've noticed the leaves in your area are dropping earlier than usual this fall, you're not mistaken. Drought conditions can stress trees, prompting them to conserve water by shutting down earlier in the season, leading to a shorter foliage display. This natural response causes leaves to transform into their autumn colors and fall off sooner than expected.

Dull Colors

Droughts often lead to shorter fall color displays, resulting in foliage that is brown or dull. The stress caused by dry conditions can decrease sugar production during the growing season, resulting in less vibrant reds and oranges. If you have a colorful tree in your yard, such as a Japanese maple, and it's a dry year, be sure to water it regularly to maintain its vibrant colors.

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Delayed Onset of Fall Foliage

In mild to moderate drought conditions, trees may experience a slowdown in their metabolic processes. This can lead to a delay in the onset of vibrant fall foliage. As a result, the tree enters dormancy more gradually than usual, causing the color changes to occur at a slower pace. If this is the case in your area, use this delay as an opportunity to plan a fall foliage excursion and enjoy the leaves as they emerge.

Conditions That Lead to Vibrant Fall Foliage

Temperature, sunlight, and rainfall patterns throughout the entire year affect the vibrancy and longevity of fall foliage, says Reiter. She explains that the best foliage occurs when trees receive consistent moisture throughout the growing season, avoiding both waterlogging and drought, which allows them to develop full canopies.

As we enter fall, ideal weather for producing breathtaking foliage typically involves sunny days and cool nights. "Sunny days allow leaves to keep making sugars through photosynthesis, and the cool nights cause the trees to begin sealing off leaves and trap the sugars in the foliage." This combination creates optimal conditions for vibrant and long-lasting fall foliage.