New England foliage forecast: Where to find peak colors this weekend
Sunshine really brought on the fall colors this week and the further north you travel, the more spectacular the scenery gets. Peak foliage is now present in northern New England, along the Canadian border. “You do have to do a little traveling and this is the weekend where a lot of people do head to the north to get a look at the fall foliage out there but, keep in mind, the traffic can get a little heavy on the weekend,” said StormTeam 5 meteorologist Mike Wankum. Some pockets of color are beginning to develop around Boston and is slightly more widespread in Central Massachusetts. The transition to fall colors usually peaks in Massachusetts late in October, around Halloween. “We had so much rain this summer, I think it’s going to be a slow ramp-up,” Wankum said. Yankee Magazine’s foliage expert, Jim Salge, said he expects a late peak for fall colors throughout the region this year.”Most of the early color that we’re seeing is in trees that are too wet and have had their feet wet for too long,” Salge said.As for foliage in the future, New England forests are under assault from so many elements, including invasive species, stress from weather, and our changing climate. Our forests have always been changing. But the kind of colors we’re used to seeing in the fall, may also change.”White oak especially, that’s going to move north. Sugar maples may not be the best tree to grow in, in the northern forests anymore, but there have always been changes,” Salge said. “The ’38 hurricane knocked down all the pine and made room for the sugar maple and that’s the real reason we have such a vibrant fall color today.”Video below: Fall season color forecast
Sunshine really brought on the fall colors this week and the further north you travel, the more spectacular the scenery gets.
Peak foliage is now present in northern New England, along the Canadian border.
“You do have to do a little traveling and this is the weekend where a lot of people do head to the north to get a look at the fall foliage out there but, keep in mind, the traffic can get a little heavy on the weekend,” said StormTeam 5 meteorologist Mike Wankum.
Some pockets of color are beginning to develop around Boston and is slightly more widespread in Central Massachusetts.
The transition to fall colors usually peaks in Massachusetts late in October, around Halloween.
“We had so much rain this summer, I think it’s going to be a slow ramp-up,” Wankum said.
Yankee Magazine’s foliage expert, Jim Salge, said he expects a late peak for fall colors throughout the region this year.
“Most of the early color that we’re seeing is in trees that are too wet and have had their feet wet for too long,” Salge said.
As for foliage in the future, New England forests are under assault from so many elements, including invasive species, stress from weather, and our changing climate. Our forests have always been changing. But the kind of colors we’re used to seeing in the fall, may also change.
“White oak especially, that’s going to move north. Sugar maples may not be the best tree to grow in, in the northern forests anymore, but there have always been changes,” Salge said. “The ’38 hurricane knocked down all the pine and made room for the sugar maple and that’s the real reason we have such a vibrant fall color today.”
Video below: Fall season color forecast
