With the autumn season well underway and the calendar flipped into October, we are seeing many of those green hues on the trees fade into vibrancy. This means it’s fall foliage season! But what should we expect this year for those justs starting to see some change in the color? Let's find out!
First up, we have to showcase the current state of Fall Foliage across parts of the US, thanks to maps from our friends over at The Foliage Report. Areas across the Northeast are already starting to see peak color, particularly over the higher terrain in Upstate NY and toward Canada. Further south and along the I-95 corridor, not so much color is being seen quite yet, but it is beginning. The same can be said in the Mid-Atlantic, with places seeing peak color across the elevations of the Appalachians.
Heading out to the Midwest and Upper Plains, peak color is being observed along the Canada & US borders, some even past their peak color However, most of the region is still just starting to change, either at low to moderate coloration.
As we mentioned in our past yearly outlooks, the weather plays an important role in how fast the leaves start changing, how quickly the leaves will fall, and how vibrant the fall foliage will become. For the most vibrant leaf colors, we want to look for more of a wetter growing season (generally between April - June) followed by a near average summer season in terms of rainfall and temperature. So, let's take a look at how the past several months have played out and what that means for fall foliage longevity and vibrancy this year.
Starting with precipitation this past spring, the Northeast saw quite a bit of rainfall as a whole, with some areas seeing over 7" higher than normal for the season. This also extended southward into the Mid-Atlantic, with above average rainfall for much of the area. In the Midwest, the story is much different. While some areas (particularly the Ohio River valley, Missouri and Kentucky) saw normal or above normal precipitation during the spring season, many areas also saw below average precipitation. 
The story changes for the Northeast heading into the summer months, as precipitation became rather lacking from June to August. Generally, many places in the Northeast saw 3 - 6" below the average. Moving south into the Mid-Atlantic, rainfall was generally near to slightly below average, with places across West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware being on the lower side. The Midwest had a mixed bag of above average and below average precipitation during the summer months, with Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin tallying up the highest rainfall totals. 
Temperatures, similarly, to last year, were above average across the board during the spring and summer months. Many areas averaged 1 - 2 degrees above normal for the summer time in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, while some locations in the Midwest pushed to 2 - 3 degrees above normal.
These warm temperatures continued for everyone into the month of September as well, if not even more seasonably hot for the time of year. This warmth, combined with below average rainfall, allowed for drought-like conditions to crop up, with rain producing systems being far and few between.
So, with all of that being said, where does that leave us with foliage this autumn? Well, with warm summertime temperatures combined with a drier summer overall, many locations should stick closer to the average peak foliage timeline depicted above. That being said, those that saw more drier conditions may see leaves drop a bit sooner, leading to slightly duller colors. However, there are some instances where just a slightly drier than normal environment can create more vibrant dark red color in the leaves.
So to summarize it all: The exceptionally wet spring for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, paired with a drier and warmer than normal summer can still lead to some fairly vibrant colors this season. In any case, the fall foliage season is always a wonder to observe no matter what ends up happening. If you’re able to spend some time in nature this upcoming month or two, make sure to take a look around at the scenery and enjoy the beautiful hues that will be gracing the trees. Happy Autumn!
