Fast Feedback: After you read Peter's account of the colors - please share your comments on your favorite place to view the foliage.
The weather has been quite dramatic over the past week. We had record smashing rainfall last Thursday into last Friday with many areas receiving 3 to 5” of rain. Some spots saw up to 6 to 7” in Cortland, Chenango and Otsego counties. The combination of soggy conditions from that storm, some rain & drizzle from this week, and some extra wind today and earlier in the week has led to some leaves to fall. Therefore, some trees may have reduced color. However, many central New York spots are at midpoint to peak conditions color-wise across the area. This is the weekend when the best color can be found across most areas. However, the highest elevations have past peak conditions. The “I Love NY” website gives weekly updates on how the fall foliage is doing around the state. You can find the full report at the bottom of this website. You should use their report as a guide because small variations in micro and local climates of central New York can cause big time differences in how each town’s leaves look.
That’s where you come in. We want to know if the leaves have changed where you live and travel. In the comment section of this web story, please tell us if any of the trees in your area have changed. Include your location and the approximate percentage of leaves that have changed color. Finally, also include the types of colors that you see and how vibrant it is. If you have some photos or a video of leaves, that would help even more.
Here’s how you can submit pictures and videos: You can e-mail us your pictures & videos to news@cnycentral.com or weather@cnycentral.com and by going to the MyCNYcentral and share them with everyone on our website.
Your detailed leaf reports are very helpful to us here at CNYcentral. By helping us out, you are helping out everyone here in central New York who would like to know where the best leaf colors are across our region.
If you would like more information on why leaves change color in the first place, check out this great article here, which explains why the breakdown in chlorophyll leads to vibrant autumnal colors. If you would like more information on how to identify certain types of leaves in general, click here.
The full I Love NY fall foliage report is located here and below:
After exiting the higher elevations of the Catskills and Adirondacks, peak fall colors are making their way across New York State. This weekend, in addition to remaining peak and just past peak colors in those regions, you can also expect to find peak colors in the Thousand Islands-Seaway, Capital-Saratoga, Central New York, Chautauqua-Allegheny, and Hudson Valley regions. Many foliage spotters for Empire State Development’s I LOVE NEW YORK program have noted that the past week’s high winds and rain have taken a toll on trees and there has been considerable leaf droppage.
In the Adirondacks, color change in most of Warren County has been low over the past week. You’ll find the most color change in the higher elevations in county’s northwest portion. In the northeast portion of the county, look for between 45 and 50 percent color change; to the south, expect approximately 35 percent change with patches of dull colors including rust and shades of red and yellow. In eastern Essex County expect 40 to 60 percent average color change this weekend and leaves of mostly average brilliance with some bright sparks of color. Leaves are now past peak in the Old Forge area of Herkimer County, where gold and russet-colored leaves, along with a few splashes of reds and oranges should make a nice contrast to the evergreens. Foliage spotters in Lake Placid are also calling for past peak leaves this weekend, with some great color remaining, including yellows and oranges mixed among the evergreens. Also look for some good remaining color in Keene and the Keene Valley. In Tupper Lake, the peak foliage is gone, but you’ll still find a nice display of goldenrod leaves, along with shades of copper and bronze. Foliage spotters in Wilmington, in Essex County, and Indian Lake, in Hamilton County, also project foliage to be past peak this weekend.
In the Capital-Saratoga region, leaf peepers in the Thatcher Park area of Voorheesville in Albany County expect areas of peak and near peak foliage this weekend, with between 75 and 85 percent color change. Expect to find bright yellow leaves with touches of red predominating. Foliage spotters in the Saratoga Springs area of Saratoga County project near peak color for the weekend, with 75 percent transition and average-to-bright red, orange and yellow leaves. With last week’s high winds and heavy rain, the peak foliage of the Grafton area of Rensselaer County has departed, but you’ll still find some nice areas of red and orange leaves of average-to-bright brilliance. In the western part of the county, foliage should be at or near peak by the weekend. In Schenectady County, expect midpoint to near peak foliage with a mix of brilliant yellow leaves along with quickly emerging oranges and reds.
In the Catskills region, foliage spotters reporting from the Ulster County towns of Saugerties, Kingston, New Paltz and Highland expect peak conditions this weekend with nearly 100 percent color change and average-to-bright foliage, predominated by shimmery yellow, deep gold, amber and fiery orange leaves. Delaware County should be just past peak this weekend, but you’ll still find some bright orange, gold, red and green leaves. In the Highmount area of the county, spotters based at Belleayre Mountain are calling for past peak foliage this weekend, as the rain and high winds have knocked many leaves off the trees. However there are some beautiful, if a bit dull, areas of yellow, rust and red leaves remaining. In Sullivan County, spotters based in Monticello expect peak foliage this weekend with 90 percent color change and bright shades of red, gold, amber and tawny. The valley area of Greene County is expected to be at peak this weekend, while the higher elevations of the Catskill Mountains will be past peak. Look for bright orange and red leaves predominating.
The Central New York region saw significant leaf droppage over the past week. This weekend, look for near peak and peak foliage in Oneida County, where spotters in Utica expect 60-70 percent color change and an array of muted colors dominated by gold and amber with bright red-orange and salmon highlights. Up to 75 percent color change and near peak foliage is expected in southern Herkimer County this weekend. While many leaves are down, there are still areas with nice shades of yellow and gold leaves. Peak to past peak foliage will be found in Chenango County, although may trees have lost their leaves. Look for about 80 percent color change and dull red leaves. Schoharie County will also see peak to just past peak foliage with 75 percent color change and a mix of muted oranges, faded browns, and a few reds. Broome County based in the Greater Binghamton Area are calling for just past peak foliage with 85 percent color change and bright red, orange, golden yellow & green leaves.
In the Greater Niagara region, foliage spotters in Wyoming County note that, along with very cool temperatures, the past week brought bursts of yellow, burnt orange, bright red and burgundy-purple foliage. Look for near peak conditions with about 60 percent color change by the weekend. Orleans County foliage spotters also predict 60 percent color change with dull shades of yellow predominating, along with some orange; the stage of progression should be midpoint to near peak. In Niagara County, foliage spotters based in Lewiston expect 55 percent color change with an equal mix of green and yellow leaves of average brilliance predominating, followed by orange and a few reds. The colors appear to be brightening up and you’ll find excellent viewing in the Niagara Escarpment area and the Lower Niagara River gorge area from Niagara Falls downstream through Lewiston and into Youngstown.
Color change will be around midpoint in the Buffalo area of Erie County with 30-35 percent transition. The bright shiny yellow leaves, generally found on smaller trees, predominate, while deep orange and dark red leaves will be found in large swaths among the larger-leaved trees. Look for 25 percent color change in Genesee County, which is still mostly green with a lot of yellow overtones. The stage of color change will be between beginning and midpoint.
In the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, St. Lawrence County spotters predict 100 percent color change and just past peak foliage in the southern part of the county, the Northwestern Adirondacks. Look for peak foliage 90-100 percent changed in the northern part of the county, highlighted by average-to-bright yellow, rust and gold leaves. Foliage spotters in the Alexandria Bay area of Jefferson County expect 85 percent color change and peak foliage by the weekend highlighted by brilliant yellow and orange leaves, along with touches of red.
In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, foliage spotters at Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County expect 75 percent color change highlighted orange leaves along with some shades of yellow and red. Overall, the park will be at peak with some hills just past peak. The trees have quickly changed over the past week, with some hills having lost their leaves from the rain. In the Little Valley area of the county, look for peak foliage 70 percent change with a mixture of dull yellow and orange leaves predominating, along with a few reds and greens. Chautauqua County should be near peak with 75 percent change and average-to-brilliant orange and yellow highlights.
In the Finger Lakes region, foliage spotters in the Elmira area of Chemung County expect foliage to be, overall, near peak, with 60-65 percent color change. The county has a good array of reds, golds, rusts, burnt oranges and purples of average brilliance. In Cortland County, foliage spotters predict 75 percent color change and near peak foliage with red and orange leaves of average brilliance. Steuben County spotters expect 60-70 percent color change and near peak leaves of yellow, orange and red. Tioga County projects 60 percent change with near peak orange, yellow and green leaves of average brilliance. Onondaga County should be midpoint to near peak this weekend, with 40-45 percent color transition with bright yellow, red, purple leaves between the remaining green.
Midpoint foliage will be found in Ontario County, which is expecting 55 percent color transition and average-to-bright gold, orange and yellow leaves along with some reds. Wayne, Cayuga, Yates, Livingston, Monroe, Schuyler and Tompkins counties are also expected to be at midpoint of change this weekend. In Livingston County, expect around 55 percent color change with average-to-bright green, gold, orange and red leaves. Yates County is projecting more than 50 percent transition with bright reds and oranges predominating. Cayuga County foliage spotters are calling for 50 percent color change and red, gold and orange leaves of average brilliance. Tompkins County spotters based in Ithaca expect between 45 and 50 percent color change with some beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow mixed in with the remaining green. Wayne County expects 40-50 percent color change and average-to-bright red and orange highlights. In the Rochester area of Monroe County, expect up to 45 percent color change, with less color the closer you get to Lake Ontario. Predominating colors are mostly shades of yellow, along with some red and a limited orange. Here and elsewhere in the county, a lack of colder weather seems to have hindered turning the leaves the bright, intense coloration typical of fall foliage. Most of the coloration is dull, with no sharp color contrast between reds and yellows. Schuyler County can expect 30-35 percent color change with bright green, orange and yellow leaves.
In the Hudson Valley, in the northern, mountain areas of Columbia County look for 80 percent, near peak foliage this weekend with bright yellow and orange leaves. Color change in the southern, valley area of the county should be around 60 percent. In Dutchess County, 70 percent color change is expected in the eastern portion and 50 percent change in the western portion. Spotters report bright blazing orange, gold and rust leaves in the eastern half, while the western half is marked by yellows and bronzes, with some nice rich oranges and rust colors. Stages of change should be midpoint for the Western Hudson River corridor, and at or just past peak for the eastern part of the county along the Taconic State Parkway and Harlem Valley.
Spotters in Westchester County expect 25 percent color change, mostly in the northern portion of the county, with some nice shades of orange and yellow. Foliage spotters in Rockland and Orange counties also expect about 25 percent leaf change with red and yellow leaves predominating.
On Long Island, color change is still in the early stages. Across the Island, expect just about 10 percent color transition. A dull touch of gold is the emerging fall color out on The Hamptons, while spotters in Nassau and western Suffolk counties note an emergence of orange, yellow and red leaves of average brilliance. Foliage change in New York City is still very minimal, at about 5 percent.
For more on your weather forecast, click on “Weather” and then the “Live Triple Doppler Radar” tab on our weather page. Make sure you refresh the Doppler radar to see the very latest information, as well. Furthermore, we have our new Interactive Doppler Radar on our website. You can zoom down to street level with Interactive Doppler Radar. You are in total control of where the radar can zoom in. Give it a try. Plus, click on our Severe Weather Tab and our Watches and Warnings map to see the very latest county specific watches and warnings. In addition, you can “follow” along with me on Twitter by either clicking on the “follow” button on the Twitter section of our weather page or by visiting www.twitter.com/PeteWeatherBeat.
