What does the summer drought mean for the fall foliage in New England?
Don’t be fooled by the browning lawns and the ongoing severe drought, the foliage in New England this fall will be “amazing,” but the beautiful colors might peak later than usual in some areas, a new forecast predicted.
Northern regions and mountain areas won’t be as impacted by the drought conditions, and will still have “amazing fall foliage that should appear on time,” according to Yankee Magazine’s fall foliage forecast for 2022.
Jim Salge, a former meteorologist at the Mount Washington Observatory, noted in the forecast that varied drought conditions will be the biggest factor in this season’s foliage, affecting much of southern New England.
Nearly all of Mass. considered to be in extreme or severe drought
“We feel that the foliage will be on time across far northern New England, but it will trend later than normal the farther south you go. The wave of peak color will start in late September as usual,” Salge said. “After that, its southerly progression may slow or stall, leading to foliage color lingering into November in southern New England.”
Typical fall foliage is on tap for the mountainous areas of northern New England, according to Salge.
“Where the drought has had less impact — especially in the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, and the mountains of western Maine — we should see typical foliage conditions, which is to say the colors should be spectacular,” Salge said.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, a strong foliage season is anticipated for the Adirondacks, the Catskills, the highlands of Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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