New England, Northeast, and Upper Midwest All Predicted to See Excellent Fall Foliage Season

Posted: September 22, 2023 12:00 pm

It is that time of the year when Americans begin breaking out their cozy sweaters as they sip on pumpkin spice lattes. One of the most beloved pastimes of the season is checking out the fall foliage displays. What parts of the country will enjoy the most vibrant display of color this year and where will the weather put a damper on the show? Read on for what the experts are predicting for the upcoming fall foliage season.

How Weather Patterns Influence Fall Foliage Displays

The vibrancy of the fall foliage season is influenced by the weather patterns throughout the entire year. For instance, a wet late spring and early summer typically creates the most dazzling display of colors when the leaves start to turn in the fall. Sunny and dry days in the month of September pairing with cooler temperatures overnight also work together to help Mother Nature to put on a brilliant show in the trees when the time is right.

Conversely, ongoing drought conditions and extreme heat in the fall has the opposite effect, lessening the brightness of the color of the leaves. This is because this weather pattern puts stress on trees, making it more difficult for them to hold on to their leaves long enough to turn to hues of orange, yellow, and red. An usually early frost also pulls the leaves from the branches, bringing an untimely end to the fall foliage season.

Generally speaking, the leaves begin to change colors starting in the northern fringe of the U.S. and expanding southward. The higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains also means that this part of the country experiences an earlier fall foliage season.

When to Expect the Best Viewing Conditions

The fall foliage forecast for 2023 is predicting that the leaves will be at their peak color change in late September and early October for most of New England, the Rocky Mountains, and the Upper Midwest. The middle of October will usher in peak viewing conditions for the Northeast, most of the Appalachians, the Ohio Valley, and the Midwest. Washington state, Oregon, and California will see the best colors during the second half of October.

As is typical, the Gulf Coast and coastal mid-Atlantic will need to wait until the end of October or possibly the beginning of November for the peak of the season. The delayed arrival of cooler temperatures will hold up the turning of the leaves in these regions.

Leaf peppers will want to head to the Northeast, New England, the Great Lakes, and the Upper Midwest for the best opportunities to check out the blazing colors. The aspen trees in Colorado and Utah are forecast to be particularly brilliant this season. These colors are predicted to peak in late September and into October.

The Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest and the Appalachian Mountains will also be good spots to check out the colors of fall. The higher elevations of this region will see an earlier peak leaf viewing season when compared to terrains just a few thousand feet lower.

Conversely, the extreme heat of the past few months is going to take a toll on the leaf viewing across the southern portions of the U.S. In addition, all it will take is one major storm to blow the leaves off of the stressed trees before they have the chance to change colors. Lastly, this is also a part of the country that may be susceptible to an early frost event bringing the fall foliage season to an end.

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