Ahhh yes, it’s coming! This morning in the 50's - you can definitely feel this subtle change! Some trees here in north central Connecticut have started to dull and the very tops of some of the tallest, have sprouted some color. Same scenario as last August. With great joy, I donned the VT sweatshirt and joined early walkers who had sweaters and vests on! It also seems to be getter darker earlier these last two weeks. We’re not that far away!
Has anyone else detected that awesome feeling this morning up north of CT?
A Touch of Fall In the Air This Morning!
Moderators: Andy, pwt54, admin, ctyanky
Yeah, it's been one of the wettest and coolest summers in a long time. It's hard to say what the long term effects will be. Short term effects are trees turning early in the wet areas. Trees in the swamps along route 78 in Swanton and along route 36 in St.Albans Bay are turning. I imagine the trees in the swamp along route US 2 near Sandbar State Park are doing the same thing.
ctyanky and ptw54, the same events are occurring here is Massachusetts as well. Weak of the weakest trees are turning. I image most New England is experiencing similar conditions. We have been experiencing low highs like those that are normally found in first 2 weeks of September. Rain City for the last two weeks or so.
Its not even mid August and some of the healthy maple trees I monitor every year are demonstrating a tinge of color change. That’s not supposed to happen until the first week of September. Extended forecast show some higher temps coming that should put things back on track. Bet we have a similar fall as we did later year, which was great. This will be an interesting fall. Can't wait.
Its not even mid August and some of the healthy maple trees I monitor every year are demonstrating a tinge of color change. That’s not supposed to happen until the first week of September. Extended forecast show some higher temps coming that should put things back on track. Bet we have a similar fall as we did later year, which was great. This will be an interesting fall. Can't wait.
Hi GIC: Welcome back to the forum! With a very cool past weekend, more sections of trees are starting to turn and the leaves that are showing, are red and orange. I would say a good 5% of all the trees in the surrounding areas where I live, are either dulling and/or have small colored sections peaking out. People are just starting to notice, and of course, running to me to report their sightings, 
but I have been scrutinizing the trees for a couple of weeks now! My friend said, "Only you would notice!" I took that as a compliment! 
(I hope...)
I would agree with you that so far, the progression is similar to last August but in the end, I think the sequence will follow a normal pattern. We are not done with summer yet! It's wonderful though, to see and feel the change and this week is so cool and without humidity. Lots of rain around here, actually buckets! However, it certainly feels like September, not August! I'm very excited about how all this will play out in Vermont's foliage display. Wouldn't it be wonderful to duplicate last autumn???
In the meantime, I'm lovin' every minute of this weather and the early showing of color!
P.S. Will you be able to come to the reunion???
but I have been scrutinizing the trees for a couple of weeks now! My friend said, "Only you would notice!" I took that as a compliment! (I hope...)I would agree with you that so far, the progression is similar to last August but in the end, I think the sequence will follow a normal pattern. We are not done with summer yet! It's wonderful though, to see and feel the change and this week is so cool and without humidity. Lots of rain around here, actually buckets! However, it certainly feels like September, not August! I'm very excited about how all this will play out in Vermont's foliage display. Wouldn't it be wonderful to duplicate last autumn???
In the meantime, I'm lovin' every minute of this weather and the early showing of color!
P.S. Will you be able to come to the reunion???
ctyanky, last Autumn was poor in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK), probably the worst we have ever seen it--It was also poor in New Hampshire, the famous Kangumangas highway colors were all dried out and rusty--I assume you're talking about the later Fall conditions when you say the color was good--but from late September to early October, in the NEK, there was hardly any color at all--As Tim said, it "fizzled"---hopefully, very hopefully,this Fall will be much better up there--2003 was a dream year there, and we saw some good color in 2005 also--I think last year there was a drought but obviously there is no drought this year, so that may help a lot--I think we'll be coming up a bit later this year, from Oct 5th to Oct 9th(unless the Fall is early in NEK) and will stay in Killington--anyway,looking forward to the reports from all the Vermont leaf observers this year
Hi Wentworth: yes, I am talking about the late foliage season of last year. We went on two trips, both after Columbus Day, in Central and Southern Vermont, when the leaves peaked so much later after the cold snap finally set in. This year our two excursions are October 3rd through Columbus Day. I think last year's very late foliage display was an aberration. But it was certainly the best I've ever encountered!
I was also in the NEK in 2003 and would agree with you - that was quite a gorgeous year for color. 2003 is when I fell in love with the area and why I'm spending quite a few days there on the second trip!
Have a great time!
I was also in the NEK in 2003 and would agree with you - that was quite a gorgeous year for color. 2003 is when I fell in love with the area and why I'm spending quite a few days there on the second trip!
Have a great time!
yes, pwt, that's when we were there 
--late Septmber--but we still enjoyed Crawford Notch on Rt. 302 there in New Hampshire, a looming hillside several thousand feet straight up--but we missed Smugglers Notch in Vermont again last year--on Rt. 108 betwen Stowe and Jefferson--We'll be there this year around Oct 5th or 6th, is that a good time pwt?
--late Septmber--but we still enjoyed Crawford Notch on Rt. 302 there in New Hampshire, a looming hillside several thousand feet straight up--but we missed Smugglers Notch in Vermont again last year--on Rt. 108 betwen Stowe and Jefferson--We'll be there this year around Oct 5th or 6th, is that a good time pwt?ctyanky, I've been looking at some Fall pictures from last year and you are correct--the Fall got MUCH better after the fizzling out of the Northeast Kingdom in late September--There are some pretty pictures at vermontfallfoliage.com from later in the season, Oct. 7th to the 20th--nice pictures from Granville,Jamaica, and Ira--The one picture taken in Granville is stunning, and is the epitome on how beautiful the Fall colors can be in Vermont--I only wish that Patti and I decided to go later in the season last year
I had to go to Burlington today before i went to work the maples at the edge of the Underhill swamp are standing in water this year and are turning earlier than normal. I drove through the Champlain Islands on the way to work and the same thing is happening in those swamps. If you know of any swamps where you are that have maples on the edges you may want to take a look. October 5 & 6 sounds good to me. The notch may be past peak with good late colors, but the lowlands and areas a little farther south should be great.
ctyanky here's a thread that shows some nice Vermont fall colors from last year: http://www.vermontfallfoliage.com/thumbs07.shtml ----besides 2007, it has other years too--check out oct 19 2004 middletown springs photo--also see Pownal Oct 9 2005--and Sunderland Oct 12 2004--and Pawlet Oct 18 1999
and I know this is a Vermont site but check out this one picture from new hampshire (undated)--- http://www.fabulousnature.com/img397.htm
Hi Wentworth! Thank you for the links for the photos. I have been on that site many times and have enjoyed the pictures archived from all the previous years.
As far as catching the peak, well I have come to the conclusion that the peak is elusive. Every time we get in the car to go to Vermont, we say, "Do you think we'll hit the peak?" It is almost comical! We always have a good laugh! However, I do think we hit it in the NEK in 2003 and last year, yes, we hit it right on target in Central and Southern Vermont. We had finally hit the jackpot! But I also think we were lucky to have planned the two trips so late in the season that seemed to hang on forever. Due to scheduling conflicts, we had no choice but to plan later excursions.
Last fall's incredible color displays are still engrained in my memory. In all the years I have been touring the state, last year was the ultimate in my opinion and I will never, ever forget it. I can only hope to recapture the beauty once again, but I am just happy to be in Vermont during the autumn and will take what I can get! That's why I always have lots planned besides leaf peeping, such as fairs, festivals, country stores, gondola rides, and more. I still maintain that peak foliage is the icing on the cake!
Here's to the Fall 2008 foliage season! May we all be awestruck once again!
As far as catching the peak, well I have come to the conclusion that the peak is elusive. Every time we get in the car to go to Vermont, we say, "Do you think we'll hit the peak?" It is almost comical! We always have a good laugh! However, I do think we hit it in the NEK in 2003 and last year, yes, we hit it right on target in Central and Southern Vermont. We had finally hit the jackpot! But I also think we were lucky to have planned the two trips so late in the season that seemed to hang on forever. Due to scheduling conflicts, we had no choice but to plan later excursions.
Last fall's incredible color displays are still engrained in my memory. In all the years I have been touring the state, last year was the ultimate in my opinion and I will never, ever forget it. I can only hope to recapture the beauty once again, but I am just happy to be in Vermont during the autumn and will take what I can get! That's why I always have lots planned besides leaf peeping, such as fairs, festivals, country stores, gondola rides, and more. I still maintain that peak foliage is the icing on the cake!
Here's to the Fall 2008 foliage season! May we all be awestruck once again!