Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Perhaps you’ve noticed. The colors of fall are coming out a little ahead of schedule.
The reds, purples and oranges of the fall don’t typically start coming out until late September, but some of you have noticed an early beginning to the changes in the leaves. So, what’s causing the change and what does it mean for our peak colors this season?
The reason we’re seeing early fall colors is because of the lack of rainfall, which can trigger a tree to enter dormancy, causing the changes. Any tree planted near a sidewalk or highway is especially vulnerable.
“There's so much concrete and other impermeable materials that any rainfall doesn't get to the root system,” explains Don Leopold with SUNY ESF.
That can cause a bid difference and you don’t have to travel far to see it.
What does all this mean for the rest of the season? Some are bracing themselves for a lackluster year, but it turns out that the weather may be setting us up for some brilliant colors, standard of autumn.
“I don't think we're going to see any major difference in fall color, other than we're going to see some earlier fall coloration and some earlier leaf drop in some types of settings,” Leopold says.
Foliage is at its best when the days are sunny, the nights are cool and the rain holds off, which is exactly what we’ve been seeing in Central New York this year.
Leopold says that while we’re on trend for brilliant foliage, a lot depends on the weather staying pleasant between now and peak season, which is in mid-October.
