It will be difficult to plan a pilgrimage this year.
The symphony of colors that accompanies the arrival of a snap in the air is playing out differently in different parts of the country. leafpeepers don't need to be discouraged. As long as they plan it right, those looking to feast their eyes on the vibrant foliage of fall will have plenty to enjoy.
Dr. Gordon Ober is a professor of environmental science at Endicott College.
The height of leaf-peeping season is arriving later and sticking around for less time.
The growing season of broadleaf trees is being extended due to warmer weather. Peak leaf-peeping used to take place earlier in the fall, but now it happens later on.
Warm temperatures are keeping some trees green later in the season, staving off the glorious colors of leaf-peepers. There is a lack of rain in some areas.
The year is shaping up to be the fifth warmest on record. The summer of 22nd century was the hottest on record. As the mercury rose, water levels in the United States dropped dangerously, and as of late September, a quarter of the Northeast continues to experience extremely low precipitation.
Dr. Nicole Davi studies trees and the effects that extreme weather has on them. She said that in many places this year's viewing season felt over before it even began.
We have had a serious shortage of water this season. She said that she sees that in the lower Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey. When trees are stressed, you won't see the same brilliance in color.
Travelers can use hindsight to find the best colors.
The season is expected to mirror the one in 2021.
Peak colors in places like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northern New York will come late this year, in mid- to late October, according to AccuWeather. This was the same thing as last year.
In Minnesota, the Superior National Forest, which is popular for its colorful leaves, has already peaked, according to AccuWeather.
The late summer rains in the Northeast were not enough to save the leaf peepers' season.
He said that the outlook for fall depends on the amount of rain and the state of the water.
According to AccuWeather, leaves will drop off early in the season from Boston to New York. Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and southeastern New York are likely to see subdued colors.
Some leaves are turning brown.
The outlook will be better in other parts of the country.
Thanks to a snowy winter and a lot of rain in the spring and early summer, western Oregon and Washington State are expected to put on a great show. Just before the end of the month, they should hit their peak.
Foliage is expected to be on full display at Olympic National Park in Washington.
There is plenty of rain across the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes and the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi valleys, as well as a strong showing for fall colors.
In California, Nevada and western New Mexico, leaf peepers can expect a shorter season that doesn't peak until the end of October and is marked by duller colors.
More brilliance will be offered by Northern California's trees. Those going to see the leaves should watch the weather and exercise caution due to the risk of wildfire.
Peak colors will last past the first week of November from Missouri to Illinois and eastern Kentucky.
There were 1-in-1,000-year floods in these areas in July and August. States in this region will have longer leaf-peeping periods as a result of the increased humidity.
In the eastern Rockies, the monsoon rains will give way to bright colors.
The yellow Aspens that cover Colorado's high country are expected to be bright this year. The peak won't happen until early November according to a projection from the park.
The colors in the Rockies and interior Northwest were dull last year because of the heat and dry conditions. The forecast is better this year after a wet winter.
The Bighorn National Forest is a great place to visit this season.
There are online resources that can be used to plan when and where leaf-peepers will visit.
Users can check the forecast for fall foliage on a weekly basis.
Travelers in New England can consult the New England Fall Foliage forecast produced by New England Today, as well as download the GaiaGPS app, created by Outside Online, to check live satellite images of foliage.
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