Fall Foliage 2019: What to expect in the Northeast

Fall foliage is undoubtedly one of natures greatest displays. Each Autumn, the landscape is flooded with gorgeous color as trees prepare themselves for winter. In the Northeast states, the colors are a spectacle that is unanimously appreciated and respected. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to view the bursting colors in New England each year, and 2019 will be no different.

The weather, both during the growing season and fall foliage season itself, has a tremendous effect on fall foliage. The conditions which the trees and leaves endure during the Summer can have lasting effects on how the leaves appear in the Autumn. Similarly, conditions during the Autumn months can greatly impact how the trees behave.

Why do Autumn leaves change color in the first place?

The science behind trees and their leaves is fascinating, and at its most compelling in the Autumn months. One of the central processes at work is photosynthesis. Many trees and plants perform this process to generate food and energy necessary for cellular growth.

The process of photosynthesis requires a few key components: Energy from the sun, carbon dioxide, and water. Most notably for our consideration, the process takes place in many cells which contain chlorophyll, which aids the plant in producing glucose (a.k.a plant food). The chlorophyll cells are responsible for the leafs green appearance.

But chlorophyll naturally breaks down, and as Summer turns to Autumn the temperature and water balance changes. As days become shorter and the sunlight less intense, the production of chlorophyll eventually slows to a halt. Other compounds which always exist in the leaf – namely Carotenoids and Anthocyanins – begin to become dominant.

These compounds are responsible for the vivid orange, red and yellow colors that burst to life in the Autumn months. In fact, each individual compound is responsible for a certain color! Flavonols are known for their yellow color and Beta-Carotene helps produce oranges, for example.

Eventually, as the Autumn months wear on, perennial plants and trees begin to drop their leaves. Other trees (pines, spruces, and firs) are evergreens throughout the Winter season. It is an incredible process to consider – by dropping leaves, trees are very literally preparing themselves for Winter. The trees close off the veins providing nutrients to the leaf, and eventually the individual leaves fall to the ground.

Once on the ground, leaves break down into the earth around the trees, providing nutrients to the ground and soil. These nutrients stay near the tree through the Winter months and well into the Spring and next growing season. The process continues year after year.

What to expect from fall foliage in 2019

As mentioned earlier, the weather during the Spring and Summer can have a significant impact on the leaf color and drop process.

The Summer of 2019 was warmer and wetter than normal throughout a large majority of the Northeast states. The last few months in particular have been several degrees above average, and have featured a high volume of rainfall events.

As usual, the story of summer varies greatly depending on location. In parts of the Catskills and Western New England (Massachusetts and Connecticut), precipitation has averaged below normal for the 3 months of summer.

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Drier and warmer weather can often lead to earlier leaf drops and less vivid colors. Over saturation from wet conditions can also lead to less impressive displays. In a simple sense, fall foliage is at its best when the weather conditions are closer to normal during the summer.

The upcoming few weeks look likely to feature slightly above normal temperatures and precipitation. We aren’t expecting any periods of abnormally hot or cold weather. There are a few areas that may see earlier leaf drop and colors – particularly where it was warmer and drier than normal during the summer.

Bottom Line: We anticipate an average fall foliage season, with plenty of opportunity to visit and view the beautiful display of colors in New England.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to provide updates on the weather and fall foliage conditions. Be sure to send us your best photos as the Autumn continues and we’ll post them on our website!