The Foliage Season: 2007 Forecast to Be Less Than Impressive

The beauty of fall foliage is never debated, yet few people seem to understand that foliage seasons are hit-and-miss. To experience foliage at its peak, it is important to plan in advance. Those in areas known for incredible foliage find that hotels fill up quickly, so last-minute planning is rarely the best choice. Foliage's bright colors rely on ideal weather conditions, and no one can predict these patterns months in advance. For this reason, planning a dream foliage trip can seem rather nightmarish to those unfamiliar with the process.

Foliage is extremely dependent on the weather, of particular concern are the daily high and low temperatures. In order to get the fiery reds, yellows, and oranges that many desire, days must be warm, but not hot, and evenings must be cool but not freezing. The farther north you go, the earlier the foliage changes. For New England and the Midwest, foliage often begins changing in the last week of September through mid-October. Heading south, areas along the Atlantic coast often don't see peak foliage until later in October. For New England and the Midwest, this means that weather in early September becomes a key to how the foliage season will turn out. In the southeast, the weather in early to mid-September is important.

As seasons change, trees go through the process of shedding their leaves. Harsh winters require trees to become dormant. In the spring and summer, the leaves produce nutrients for the tree through the process known as photosynthesis. As winter nears, photosynthesis stops because sunlight hours shorten. As photosynthesis production diminishes, the chemicals found within the leaves also change. Chlorophyll, the chemical that gives leaves their green color, is no longer produced allowing other chemicals to take a bigger role. Anthocyanins create the brilliant reds, tannins give the rusty browns, and flavones give off a yellow appearance. In essence, fall foliage colors depend on the balance of these remaining chemicals.

Anthocyanins break down if temperatures are too warm or too cold. Frosty nights early into September will keep fall foliage from turning red or orange. When the weather is not ideal, often yellows and rusts dominate the hillsides. This is only one problem with the weather. A lack of rain causes trees to shrivel the leaves to ensure the trunk and roots retain enough moisture to survive. Excessive winds will blow leaves off the trees prematurely. Without healthy leaves, fall foliage will not occur.

With this in mind, it is essential for the weather in September to provide a nice balance of rain, warm, not hot or humid, days, and cool nights. If these conditions are met, chances are the foliage will be stunning. When booking your foliage vacation, choose an area and then pay close attention to the weather early in the month of September. This can help give clues into how the foliage season will play out. At this point, many hotels might be booked up, but persistence can pay off because smaller hotels often still have rooms available.

With all of this in mind, it is now entering foliage season in many areas of New England. Unfortunately, the weather in some areas, especially Vermont, has been very dry since August. Recent rainfall in the last week of September may yet save the season, but currently leaves are more rusty than brilliantly colored and falling from trees rapidly. If you are heading to these areas, areas in Northern Vermont have had far less rainfall than areas to the south. Try viewing foliage in Killington, Brattleboro, and Bennington. Areas along Lake Champlain like Burlington and Saint Albans have had little rain fall, and heavy winds in August tore leaves from trees prematurely leading to what many feel will be a lousy season for viewing foliage.