Here's why and where you should see eye-popping colorful foliage in Pennsylvania this fall

This summer’s weather should lead to Pennsylvania’s forests creating a palette of vibrant colors over the next month.

“Overall the forests of Pennsylvania are prime for a very good season,” Ryan Reed, natural resource program specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), said.

“The trees are looking good heading into the fall,” he said.

“Right now it appears we are on schedule,” Reed said about the leaves changing colors in the coming weeks.

The quality of leaves comes down to the precipitation they receive over the summer months. “Too little rain is a bad thing. A lot of people don’t know that too much rain is also a bad thing because it encourages a leaf fungus which can really mute the fall color, too. It’s a delicate balance.”

Regarding rainfall, Reed said it’s a timing issue. “It needs to be well spaced,” he said about avoiding periods of heavy rain with drought periods in the same summer.

Temperature and rainfall averages

The National Weather Service reports Pennsylvania has had close to a normal summer, but parts of northeastern Pennsylvania have had higher-than-normal rainfalls.

Matt Steinbugl, lead meteorologist for the NWS in central Pennsylvania, provided the following recap of temperatures and precipitation between June 1 and Aug. 31 at different weather stations across the state.

In Erie, the average temperature was about 69 degrees Fahrenheit or about two degrees below normal. The station there received 12.62 inches of precipitation which was 2.25 inches above normal. “In summary, it was a slightly cooler and wetter summer in Erie,” Steinbugl said.

In Pittsburgh, the average temperature was 71 degrees and that was about half a degree below normal. Precipitation was 11.15 inches and that was about three-quarters of an inch below normal. “Slightly cooler and slightly below average rainfall in Pittsburgh, but pretty close to normal there,” Steinbugl said.

In Harrisburg, the summer temperature average was 74.7 degrees which is 3/10 of a degree below average. “Pretty much average temperatures there for the summertime,” Steinbugl said. Rainfall measured 11.37 inches which is about an inch below normal. “Average temperature, slightly below average precipitation in Harrisburg,” he said.

For Williamsport, the average temperature was 71.8 degrees which is 1/10 of a degree above average. “Almost spot on normal there for Williamsport. It was a rather wet summer,” Steinbugl said The area received 21.18 inches which is about nine inches above normal. “That was a top five wettest summer on record for that site,” he said about records that date back to 1895.

In Scranton, the average temperature was 70.6 degrees which was about 1 degree below normal. Rainfall totaled 16.15 inches, which was 4.89 inches above normal. “That area from Williamsport up through Scranton was wet in relation to summertime,” Steinbugl said.

In Philadelphia, the average temperature was 75.8 degrees which is a half degree below normal. The total precipitation was 12.73 inches which is two-tenths of an inch above normal. “A near average summer for temperatures and rainfall in Philly,” Steinbugl said.

Reed thinks the weather conditions have been conducive for a promising autumn. “I think we had the right balance. We’ve had timely rainfall, it might be a hair dry. But I’ll take that over too wet. Too dry or just a little below normal precipitation typically doesn’t affect fall color like having too much rainfall would,” he said.

Reed said the heavy rains in Williamsport and Scranton shouldn’t have hurt the leaves this year as the rain came during heavy rain events. “It needs to be more of a constant thing throughout the growing season and that’s just not been the case,” he said about the leaves still being colorful this fall.

Reed credits the diversity of the state’s forests with the variety of colors people will be seeing on the landscapes. There are more than 120 species of deciduous trees in Pennsylvania that show different colors and timing over the fall months.

“We have that spectrum. It will range from the brightest yellow all the way down to the most russet color you can think of and every color in between," Reed said. "It’s spectacular when you think about that palette of colors that will be scattered together. It’s just one of the most exciting times of the year to really take the time to appreciate the forests.”

Forests provide clean air, water filtration, buffering of noise,  shade, wildlife habitat and lumber for building materials. “The list of benefits of our forests is endless and so fall foliage season is just one more reason to think about those benefits,” Reed said.

Timing

“I expect the schedule for fall foliage to be normal,” he said. However it depends on the temperatures we receive in the coming weeks. “If we get that rare, rogue strain of summer weather in October or late September, it could delay the seasons by weeks,” he said.

“Right now, looking at the 10 day forecast, things are looking promising for a normal timing of the season,” he said.

Upcoming opportunities: A look at Pennsylvania's upcoming deer seasons and what hunters need to know

Stay up to date

Weekly fall foliage reports will be available each Thursday on the DCNR’s webpage, dcnr.pa.gov, starting on Sept. 28. Right now, you can see last year’s report on the fall foliage page.

“These reports are compiled with the observations of over 20 different foresters scattered throughout the state so they are really as accurate as they can be in terms of observations and very reliable information. It’s a really good planning tool for people who like to travel and see fall color,”  Reed said.

Best places to see fall colors

Pennsylvania has 124 state parks, 2.2 million acres of state forest land and 1.5 million acres of state game lands for people to explore this fall.

“We take pride in the fact that these state parks, almost every single one of them is located within a 15-minute drive of every Pennsylvanian,” Reed said.

“We’re talking about vast swaths of public land,” he said about forests and parks being a close drive for almost everyone. “You don’t have to take a two-hour drive just to enjoy fall color,” he said.

The DCNR’s webpage offers maps of some of the more popular places people go to see fall foliage at different parks and forests.

Reed’s personal favorites include Trough Creek State Park in Huntingdon County. “You have a month of just splendid color,” he said about the variety of trees in that area.

In southwestern Pennsylvania, he recommends Mount Davis as it’s the highest elevation in the commonwealth.  “It’s a very unique forest community there with the higher elevation. Earlier in the season typically is when you’ll find some beautiful color there.”

In northwestern Pennsylvania, Allegheny National Forest is a good place to see the leaves. “It’s just loaded with fall color. Kinzua (Bridge state Park) skywalk is a destination that folks love to go and enjoy the color,” Reed said.

In northcentral areas, he said the Pine Creek Valley has a rail trail for people to bike or hike in a scenic area.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, Reed recommends a rail trail in Lehigh Gorge State Park along the Lehigh River. “I’ve biked that one in the fall and it’s spectacular,” he said.

“We really are blessed in Pennsylvania with millions of acres of public lands that are located very close for people to go and enjoy it,” Reed said about taking slow drives along country roads.

Waterways are also a good place to spend a fall day as the water reflects the colors of the trees. “You can do that on any river or lake throughout the state, practically,” Reed said about floating or paddling on a kayak or boat.

When it comes to places to see fall foliage, he said it’s worth your time to travel in October. “There is no shortage of opportunities,” Reed said.

“Don’t miss it. It’s fleeting. It’s here and it doesn’t last. The most important part is to get out there and experience it and to share it. Don’t just do it yourself. Share it with somebody. The experiences that you have in the forest are always better when they are shared. Whether it’s with your family, kids, your friends, those experiences are always enriched when you share them. I encourage everyone to get out there. Don’t miss the season. It truly is magical,” Reed concluded.

Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors, X @whipkeyoutdoors and Instagram at whipkeyoutdoors.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Where are the best places to see changing fall leaves in Pennsylvania?