State Foliage Report Oct 1st, 2020

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All foliage conditions are present across Vermont this week. Splashes and bursts of color have spread to whole hillsides painted in vibrant yellows, reds and oranges. Most of the state is well into the middle phases of the season, and many areas, including the northern Green Mountains and the Northeast Kingdom, are experiencing peak or near-peak conditions. On exposed ridges, windblown leaves have already fallen from many trees, adding a layer of color on the ground as well as in the canopy. There’s still considerable green in the forests of the Champlain Valley, in southern regions, and in sheltered areas like coves, benches and valleys where great color is yet to come.

We’ve enjoyed delightfully warm, sunny weather early this week, with rain and cooler air forecast for later in the week. With the return to more seasonable weather and temperatures, and locally windy conditions expected, the color change is likely to accelerate. Savor every scene you take in and keep exploring across the state for a full array of foliage stages! If you catch a crimson-hued sunset over the trees this week, linger a little longer to enjoy the moon rise, as our foliage viewing aligns with the full harvest moon on Oct. 1, and the moon will remain beautiful as it wanes.

Seasoned leaf peepers may see the changing colors as slightly ahead of the schedule we’ve observed in the last few years, but they are still well within the historical range of late September and early October peak in most of the state. Many viewers are also sharing accounts of extra vibrancy this year – particularly of red tones – which can be enhanced by moderate drought such as what we’re presently experiencing in some locations.