tamarack

First time I've seen the "S" word from GYX this season - Monday's strong CF may have some light snow at elevation during that night.

That's averaging 4.57"/month. Projected over 12 months, it's nearly 55". I'd guess that's a bit AN; 45-50 seems more likely. My average here is currently 48.6". Foggy 50 has turned to blue sky 60s.

September numbers Avg max: 65.1 -2.7 Warmest, 74 on the 10th. That's our lowest monthly Sept max; previous was 76 in multiple Septs. Avg. min: 45.3 -0.5 Coolest, 30 on the 24th Mean: 53.2 -1.6 Coolest Sept since 2019. Precip: 3.06" -0.61" Wettest day, 0.99" on the 28th. The long-duration storm on 27-29 totaled 1.75". Other than the above storm, September was an unremarkable month. No strong wind, no thunder, no real heat, no real drama. The precip deficit since the end of June had brought the Sandy River down to the lowest 5% of its records for September 26th, data since 1929, and the 1.75" barely moved the flow to the 25th percentile. That said, fall colors came about a week earlier than average and the reds are as good as it gets. Other colors, yellows and the maroon ash, are good as well.

Maybe, but even after 46 years as a forester, I can't figure out the reasons for great/average/awful colors. We had slightly AN rain in May/June then about 50% of average July thru Sept 26, and met summer was AN but nowhere near our warmest. I've read that drought limits the colors, but it's still a 'maybe' from me. Same opinion for excessive rain. Our worst color year, by a lot, was 2005. May that year was 200% of average rain with 6° BN temp, easily the coolest here. (Ask Tip about May 2005 - he has a strong opinion of that month. ) June thru September had AN temps (Sept '26 will finish about 1.5 BN) and slightly BN rain. By October 7 the color was middling (next to none of reds), 7-10 days later than average. Then 8-10 had nearly 6" rain on strong winds which brought down about 80% of the leaves. Phooey!

"Swamp maples" are almost always red maples (Acer rubrum) on a wet site. The wetness lowers fertility and keeps the roots somewhat cooler than on well drained sites, probably causing that early turning (as you guessed). The color is common for most red maples (excellent this year), though there's a variety of sorts that turns yellow (also good).

Finished this event with 1.75", fortunately about 3 times more than I expected. Month up to 3.06" (average is 3.70"), almost enough to get Sandy River over the 25th percentile. Colors here are at/near peak, with lots of red maples wonderfully bright. Birches and sugar maples approaching peak, white ash well past, about 75% leaf drop around here on that species. Red oaks: Autumn? What's that?

Finally got some decent rain - 0.70" overnight. Mostly very light rain since, event total including Sunday early is approaching 0.90", biggest precip since August 3.

Nov 25th, my earliest weather memory. Dad, older brother and I watched the trees getting thrashed from our NNJ back porch. When some tops/branches broke, Dad said it was time to go inside. That and the howling NW gales of 12/31/62 (back side of the BGR blizzard) are the strongest winds I've experienced. Farther west (PA, WV) snowfall records were being set in '50. RA stopped here about 7 AM, just clouds and breezes (<20 mph) since then.

0.12" overnight, trees barely moving. Might finish with more than 1/2".

Blue skies here. The only rain is of ash leaves, as that species is near full color and 1/4 dropped. Hope we get some decent rain, though I'm not optimistic. Current flow numbers for today on the Sandy River: Median: 154 cfs 25th percentile: 91 cfs Lowest on record: 39 cfs, in 1939. Current flow: 43 cfs

Yesterday's frost toasted all of the cucurbits, only minor damage to peppers and tomatoes. They're a bit higher, especially the 'maters. Quite the run of sun here, though it ends later today. September here has had the most proportion of available sunshine of any month, slightly more than August. (November and December jockey for least, with the latter currently 'winning'.)

Death Valley Nat. Park July average is 117/91. On 7/1/26, when the norm is 115/89, the 107/87 was 5° BN. Touched 30 this morning, waiting on the weekend rain (assuming it's getting much this far north).

31 this morning, dew on the car roof was still frozen at 8 AM despite full sun. Average for first frost is Sept 20, so slightly tardy this year. Over the past 6 years, 3 of which had first frost in October, the average has become 3 days later.

Sable Island has trees?

Same 36 here, but it's my wife going to FL, for her sister's 70th BD. Lots of heat there (between Ocala and Gainesville) with 90/70 days for at least the first week. Saw significant (for mid-Sept) color changes on the BGR-and-back drive, white ash 50% color, red maple 10-20% (near full in the swamps), some color on birches and aspens. Seems a bit early as temps are only slightly BN this month, though the BN rain (50% of avg) since late June might be a factor.