Fall Foliage Report

From I Love NY.com

Peak leaves making final appearances in Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley regions.

Week of Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2011

This is the eighth 2011 FALL COLOR REPORT for New York State. Reports are obtained from field observers and reflect expected color conditions for the coming weekend. FALL COLOR REPORTS are issued every Wednesday afternoon.

Beautiful peak foliage will make its final appearances in upstate New York this weekend, with optimal viewing conditions to be found in the mid-Finger Lakes and lower Hudson Valley regions, according to observers for Empire State Development’s I LOVE NEW YORK programs.

Many counties of the central Finger Lakes region will see peak foliage this weekend. Cayuga County is expecting near complete leaf transition with a brilliant mix of gold, orange and red leaves. In Steuben County, foliage change will range from 90 to nearly 100 percent with a nice mix of rust-colored oranges, along with and shades of yellow and red of moderate brilliance. Tompkins County projects more than 95 percent color change with average to bright yellow, orange and red leaves. Seneca County predicts peak to just past peak conditions with 95 percent color change and a mix of yellow, orange and some red leaves of average brilliance.

Yates County is looking forward to a weekend of peak foliage with 90 percent color change and bright fall colors of mostly orange and yellow along with a hint of red. Ontario County will see foliage change of up to 75 percent with some trees having lost their leaves, many showing autumn shades of red, orange and gold, and many trees just beginning to change color. Schuyler County projects peak conditions with 60 percent foliage change and a nice mix of yellow and orange leaves of average brilliance highlighted by touches of red and purpley.

Most of the lower Hudson Valley region will see peak foliage this weekend. At Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County expect 85 percent color change with bright yellow, orange and red leaves. In the New City area of the county, foliage will be near peak to peak with up to 85 percent color change and bright yellow, red and orange leaves. Westchester County will be at peak with about 75 percent color change and bright yellow and deep red leaves. Look for peak to just past peak foliage in southern Ulster County. Foliage spotters in Highland project 80-90 percent color change and bright red and yellow leaves.

Big changes have taken place on Long Island over the past week, with a wide range of conditions depending on the location. In the Hamptons, look for near peak foliage with 65 percent color change and orange and red leaves overtaking the remaining green. Reports from Nassau and western Suffolk counties indicate that areas along the parkways and inland highways probably will look good with near peak autumn color this weekend, while some shore and lakefront areas are at or already past peak. Predominating colors include yellow, orange, red and purple along with some remaining green.

In New York City, foliage spotters in Brooklyn project near peak foliage with 50 percent color change and lots of bright yellow, orange, pink, and red leaves.

Other areas of the state are now past peak.


Look for Foliage Updates on Twitter and Facebook

You can also get early foliage updates, plus access to each Wednesday’s full foliage report, via I LOVE NEW YORK's Twitter and Facebook pages. Also, check the I LOVE NEW YORK Flickr page for photographs of this season’s gorgeous fall foliage. I LOVE NEW YORK recently became the first state tourist organization to break the 30,000 followers mark on Twitter.

Foliage Means Business for New York State

The spectacular colors of a New York State autumn mean more than just pretty scenery to those in the State’s travel and tourism industry. The fall foliage season means big business for New York; it’s one of the state’s most popular travel seasons. This so-called “shoulder season” has become a favorite time for weekend getaways and week-long vacations, as well as the traditional drive to the country to view nature’s colorful display.

New York State’s Advantage

Why do people from all over the world head to the spectacular New York State foliage display? Unlike the rest of the country, the northeast is particularly blessed with a great variety of broad-leaved trees, which help give the region’s foliage a spectacular color range. New York State has almost as many acres of such trees as the rest of the Northeast combined.

The change in color from the bright greens of summer to the brilliant hues of fall follows a predictable pattern across the state. It begins high in the Adirondack and Catskill mountains in late August and early September, and spreads out and down across the hills and valleys of the state, ending on Long Island and in New York City in late October to early November. It takes about two weeks for the colors to complete their cycles in any given area, with peak brilliance lasting three to four days in any one spot.

How Leaves Change Color

Seasonal conditions and the resultant chemical changes in the leaves are the key factors in the timing and coloration of the leaves. Generally, clear, sunny days and cool nights with temperatures in the 40’s bring about the most striking autumn colors.

Three chemicals within the leaves – chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins – are involved in the annual color change process. As temperatures cool and the days shorten, cells at the base of the leaves disintegrate, blocking passages from the leaves to the branches and causing chlorophyll to decompose.

Chlorophyll is what gives most plants their green color. As the chlorophyll fades, colors in the other pigments – the carotenoids and anthocyanins – come to the surface. Trees with leaves having a preponderance of carotenoids – like beech, birch and willow – turn varying shades of yellow. When anthocyanins predominate – as in the case of many maples, dogwoods and sumac – reds and purples appear.