2024 fall foliage outlook
With the start of fall just a few weeks away, leaf gazers are getting set for the explosion in color and beauty that comes with the season. This year’s color may not be as vibrant as seasons past, thanks in large part to drought conditions extending back to the spring.
Why do the leaves change color?:
The color change signals the end of the growing season for a tree. During the growing season, tree leaves appear green due to chlorophyll, a chemical that trees produce to absorb sunlight for energy that’s in turn used to convert water and carbon dioxide into food. With the arrival of autumn, trees decrease production in chlorophyll as less and less sunlight is available, essentially beginning a hibernation process. With the absence of chlorophyll, the green color fades allowing for other pigments within the leaf to show resulting in different colors.
Ultimately, the loss of daylight is the main factor that leads to color change in the leaves, with the weather (cooler temperatures) only serving as a lesser influence in the process. However, early cold snaps can kickstart some trees to begin to change faster than others.
Courtesy: National Weather Service
Drought induced tree stress:
The cause and effect are pretty straightforward. A lack of water over prolonged periods can damage, or stunt, tree growth and health. From much of the late spring and summer, drought has impacted the Mid-Atlantic region.
The stress of drought on trees can cause leaves to change early and colors to be muted throughout the leaf changing process. These side effects are already occurring and will be magnified in the mountain areas of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and southwestern PA, where drought has been most severe throughout the summer.
On Delmarva, drought has been less severe, coming in a few waves since late spring. And although there was a recovery for a good chunk of the summer, on-set drought conditions have once again crept back into much of the peninsula.
After an early fall-like cool snap, some area trees have shown some pre-mature color change, but the stress from drought will be the overarching influence on quicker color change and muted vibrancy. Its not to say we won’t see some awesome colors this season, some trees will show some resiliency for sure. But it might require a few extra weekend trips or longer distance drives to find the hot spots this year.
