Warming Temperatures Stunt Autumn Leaf Colors
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio 
on 10.23.07
Tourists and residents in New England used to receive a spectacular display of color on the second October of every year. However, in recent years, the show has been a bit duller and a bit later than usual. The culprit? What else - area temperatures consistantly warmer than average. The chilly fall nights needed to bring about the blanket of color aren't coming until much later now. What's more, the higher temperatures are making it easier for tree-hungry fungi to propogate.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in Burlington [Vermont] have run above the 30-year averages in every September and October for the past four years, save for October 2004, when they were 0.2 degrees below average.
Of course, the state tourism industries are quick to downplay the trend, blaming faulty memories of brighter colors as the real culprit. However, residents, businesses, tourists, and the plant biologist and forestry professor cited by MSNBC all agree: autumn ain't what (or when) it used to be.
::Via MSNBC
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Ditto here in Oregon. We skipped fall this year, and many of the trees went straight to brown.
But then again, we only have one October on the west coast.
Ditto here in Oregon. We skipped fall this year, and many of the trees went straight to brown.
But then again, we only have one October on the west coast.
Meanwhile here in Montreal and further north of here the fall colours are more spectacular and lasting longer than before.
fantastic color intensity of those leafs... wonderful enviroment
southern connecticut is at its peak now...but northern connecticut peaked last week or the weekend before...
disappointing year, to be sure...the oak trees seem to be browning faster than the maple trees turn red...which is browning out the colors...
here in california, we don't normally have the bright displays because it just freezes and the leaves go brown. This year, some leaves are pink! And just beautiful colors, that are like the northern midwest I grew up in.
The color of leaves depends on:
1.) Minerals in the ground.
2.) Summer food production for the tree
3.) Sunlight recieved
4.) Temperature - too cold and the leaves go straight to brown.
5.) Moisture
6.) Health of the tree
Not sure one can chalk up the alleged "duller" colors to warmer Octobers alone.