wxmanmitch Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I didn't see a 2020 Fall Foliage thread, so I figured I'd get one started since the leaves are beginning to turn here in the highlands of southern Vermont. The red maples are beginning to turn a bit read and the sugar maples have a hint of orange, so it's coming. I've been largely spared from the drought here, but I did have a bruce spanworm (a close relative to the invasive winter moth that's invaded coastal New England) infestation that did a number on the ash trees and did some minor damage to other species. Fortunately, I don't think the damage to the maples was significant enough to detrimentally effect the fall color and ash trees only make up a small component of the forests around here so I think the foliage should at least be decent in S VT. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreaves Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 This was in Fayston yesterday at about 1900’. It looked much better than my crappy iPhone picture shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Still low color, seems normal for mid-September. Two more weeks should have this view jamming. There's always that one tree that gets the party started well before everyone else. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backedgeapproaching Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Feel like its going to be an earlier peak this year compared to the previous years, especially with the upcoming forecast of chilly to cold nights and sunny cool days. Seeing some hints of red starting to turn higher up even all the way down here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Today along 302 in Twin Mountain 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 19 minutes ago, alex said: Today along 302 in Twin Mountain The low lying areas along the river and swampy spots are starting to turn fast. I’ve actually noticed it seems like some of the highest elevations appear the slowest at this time, but that should change after these cold shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Gonna be a hideous fall color season in SNE with the drought. The swampy areas which usually are vibrant are mainly brown and ma y other trees dropping yellow and curled up brittle browns now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michsnowfreak Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 4 hours ago, Damage In Tolland said: Gonna be a hideous fall color season in SNE with the drought. The swampy areas which usually are vibrant are mainly brown and ma y other trees dropping yellow and curled up brittle browns now I had planned to visit my brother in Willimantic during peak color, but I'm actually second guessing based on what I'm hearing from you guys. Was the drought widespread? I know summer precip is hit and miss. Thinking it will be a spectacular color season here in Southern Michigan and we would generally peak at the same time as interior Connecticut. There were periods of dryness/ borderline drought in the summer but overall we ended up with plenty of rain now as the trees start to turn we are seeing the sunny days, cool clear nights combo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamarack Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Spotty colors around here with a few trees almost fully turned and many still green, maybe 15% color on average. 30% change on "early corner", some poorly drained land along Rt 2 about a half mile west of the Sandy River bridge in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 57 minutes ago, michsnowfreak said: I had planned to visit my brother in Willimantic during peak color, but I'm actually second guessing based on what I'm hearing from you guys. Was the drought widespread? I know summer precip is hit and miss. Thinking it will be a spectacular color season here in Southern Michigan and we would generally peak at the same time as interior Connecticut. There were periods of dryness/ borderline drought in the summer but overall we ended up with plenty of rain now as the trees start to turn we are seeing the sunny days, cool clear nights combo It’s widespread. It could be that some places that had more recent rains like the Mass Pike region to BOS do well with colors . But anywhere south of about the MA/ CT border is going to be early change and very dull it would appear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michsnowfreak Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 On 9/15/2020 at 11:22 AM, Damage In Tolland said: It’s widespread. It could be that some places that had more recent rains like the Mass Pike region to BOS do well with colors . But anywhere south of about the MA/ CT border is going to be early change and very dull it would appear. I appreciate the information. Definitely plan on visiting the area at some point but I will probably stick closer to home for the fall colors this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendrite Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Spotty color here too. I'm not ready to write off the foliage season up here. The forest floor around here can tolerate the minor droughts we get. Lawns are a different story. These numerous 30s should help the foliage out as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 The woods around here are loaded with trees like this. Browns and yellow dying off. I see some ugly darker reds on some of the maples . We’ll see how things go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Still a lot of green heading towards yellow. Very early look, two more weeks we should be red. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timp Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 First freeze and some colors really starting to pop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backedgeapproaching Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 NEK starting to pop some reds and oranges.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 2 hours ago, alex said: Looks droughty Enjoy the colors all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Damage In Tolland said: Looks droughty Enjoy the colors all Huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 The whole "foliage is bad because of drought" seems ridiculous to me. We've had about 2.5" of rain in the past month. Sure, only 1/4" in the past 2 weeks, but tree roots are not 10" deep. Even my grass is still doing fine and I don't have a sprinkler system. If grass can be green, I doubt trees are suffering that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 36 minutes ago, alex said: The whole "foliage is bad because of drought" seems ridiculous to me. We've had about 2.5" of rain in the past month. Sure, only 1/4" in the past 2 weeks, but tree roots are not 10" deep. Even my grass is still doing fine and I don't have a sprinkler system. If grass can be green, I doubt trees are suffering that much. Better read this then https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj_trGvrfbrAhVaknIEHRnuD5wQFjAQegQIBxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalfloss.com%2Farticle%2F87882%2Fdrought-disrupts-fall-foliage&usg=AOvVaw0jQ3QTQ2mQX7mB1ELud_9Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 6 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said: Better read this then https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj_trGvrfbrAhVaknIEHRnuD5wQFjAQegQIBxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalfloss.com%2Farticle%2F87882%2Fdrought-disrupts-fall-foliage&usg=AOvVaw0jQ3QTQ2mQX7mB1ELud_9Y 1. WTF is mental loss 2. You will notice it says "parts of the Northeast". This isn't one of them. Sure, top soil is dry. But there's plenty of water around. There is still water in the wetland and vernal pools around my property. It's not the Sahara you imagine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Just now, alex said: 1. WTF is mental loss 2. You will notice it says "parts of the Northeast". This isn't one of them. Sure, top soil is dry. But there's plenty of water around. There is still water in the wetland and vernal pools around my property. It's not the Sahara you imagine Maybe you guys had plentiful rain this summmer. Most areas south of you did not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Just now, Damage In Tolland said: Maybe you guys had plentiful rain this summmer. Most areas south of you did not We had about 10" or so. The last 2 weeks have really been the only really dry stretch (0.25"). Below average for sure, but not like it hasn't rained in months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 1 minute ago, alex said: We had about 10" or so. The last 2 weeks have really been the only really dry stretch (0.25"). Below average for sure, but not like it hasn't rained in months! That’s localized to your area as you know. Look at the rest of New England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Just now, Damage In Tolland said: That’s localized to your area as you know. Look at the rest of New England I'm not disagreeing. But my post was started by your comment that the trees in my pictures looked "drought." I don't dispute that trees in Southern areas may be stressed. What I was saying is that I don't think they are up here, and therefore disagree that those trees looked droughty. They look like pretty typical early foliage trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage In Tolland Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 4 minutes ago, alex said: I'm not disagreeing. But my post was started by your comment that the trees in my pictures looked "drought." I don't dispute that trees in Southern areas may be stressed. What I was saying is that I don't think they are up here, and therefore disagree that those trees looked droughty. They look like pretty typical early foliage trees. Gotcha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Will these early freezes screw up foliage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backedgeapproaching Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 22 minutes ago, CoastalWx said: Will these early freezes screw up foliage? Yea, good question. Speaking locally, maybe just hope some of the mid slope and higher hillsides(1000-2500ft) where many of the maples are aren't radiating and staying a bit warmer? No idea, but this is legit fall airmass, prob pretty chilly even hillsides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 14 minutes ago, backedgeapproaching said: Yea, good question. Speaking locally, maybe just hope some of the mid slope and higher hillsides(1000-2500ft) where many of the maples are aren't radiating and staying a bit warmer? No idea, but this is legit fall airmass, prob pretty chilly even hillsides. I can’t imagine multiple days of temps 20-25 this early, are good for foliage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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