This tracks for us in Vermont. It's barely rained since early July, and of the trees in our yard, the birch is damn near bare, the oak is starting to drop, and the maple is just holding on to its leaves. In the wider area I drive in, the trees are starting to show some color.
We're looking forward to some rain this week, but we're a ways behind[0]. If you have New England fall foliage plans, you might want to move them up if you can.
Confimed. I live in the tiny bit of "moderate" color that is dipping down from Vermont into Western Mass. We are in a drought and the leaves seem to be just drying up and dropping instead of changing colors. I'm hoping the rain this week doesn't just knock them off the trees.
Can confirm. North central VT a lot of brown/leaf drops very early without even rain. Of which, with this morning's 0.25" we are at 1.08" for Sept after 1.72" in Aug. That said, there are some reds developing and a smattering of yellows.
Advise leaf peepers to skip my town and just stay in NJ ;)
We travel to New England the first week of October every year regardless to see family. It’s usually a great week to see the foliage, but considering the way everything has been going here in NC (leaves are already starting) I was expecting an early start, it’s a bummer to hear confirmed. Oh well, looking forward to visiting either way. See y’all in a few weeks!
Indeed, I just drove across the state on Saturday and things are just starting to change in the higher valleys. Stressed trees are starting in the lower valleys as well.
Yeah you can't really have a foliage map without a drought map to accompany it. The fall colors are a fickle thing. Last year's was pretty drab in lower NY. The year before it was quite good.
It feels like it's going to be a pretty lackluster leaf season, with everything going at different times. Note to tourists: if you'd like to bring some leaves home, take as many as you'd like.
The biochemistry of photosynthesis is wild. The fact that these are mobile power stations that plants remove from the frontline for winter is mind blowing. (The closest I can think of would be your eyes shipping all of their retinal into your liver or whatever while you sleep.)
We decided to drive down to see the seasons change... Was a long trip through Virginia... Kentucky... Tennessee... Georgia... but its just so magical to me to come from the north... where it is cold... to the south... where it is warm... To see the tremendous differences from region to region... in this incredible country ours. Mmmm.
Living in the middle of the Sonora Desert, I unfortunately don't get to experience the wonderful fall weather of the midwest anymore. I hope to someday move to a place where I can enjoy it again, it was always my favorite time of year when I was a kid.
My first visit to Japan was late last fall. Tokyo around the 25th, Hiroshima before the end of the month, Miyajima Island, and working my way back north through the 13th of December.
I had heard the colors around Kyoto would peak in November, but I certainly didn't expect it to be so beautiful into December.
Wow, those pictures look gorgeous. I'm guessing they depict the North East US somewhere? Really want to get out of Southern California so I can experience seasons again.
if you're up for a road trip, then cedar city utah is an option from southern california. the mountains on the east side of town have plenty of fall colors (lots of hiking options, national forests/parks).
Looks like the northeast because it's so flat, yeah.
Go on a roadtrip! The eastern Sierra is absolutely GORGEOUS in the fall. Because I am closer to Tahoe, one of my favorite is Hope Valley, east of the crest outside of Kirkwood.
But all the way up 395 should be pretty spectacular.
Both are from Virginia according to the alt text. I had the same thought though, the first one looked like somewhere between Vermont and New Hampshire along the Connecticut River.
I've used satellite imagery to plan trips to see fall colors, you can see big stands of aspen changing colors but usually there are enough people out taking photos that you dont need it and the high enough resolution photos lack sufficient frequency.
Is it just me, or are the leaves changing color earlier than normal this year?
I could have sworn this was a biochemical incident sunlight, and yet the leaves are changing over a month earlier than every other year in recent memory.
That’s how I feel here in Michigan. It’s been very dry though. Has been stellar weather for my outdoor cannabis but the good luck has run out and we are in a very wet foggy week now. Fall is certainly here. Fingers crossed I don’t have any issues with mold/mildew. As I look out the window visibility is about 100 feet the fog is so thick.
This tracks for us in Vermont. It's barely rained since early July, and of the trees in our yard, the birch is damn near bare, the oak is starting to drop, and the maple is just holding on to its leaves. In the wider area I drive in, the trees are starting to show some color.
We're looking forward to some rain this week, but we're a ways behind[0]. If you have New England fall foliage plans, you might want to move them up if you can.
[0]https://www.drought.gov/states/vermont
Confimed. I live in the tiny bit of "moderate" color that is dipping down from Vermont into Western Mass. We are in a drought and the leaves seem to be just drying up and dropping instead of changing colors. I'm hoping the rain this week doesn't just knock them off the trees.
Can confirm. North central VT a lot of brown/leaf drops very early without even rain. Of which, with this morning's 0.25" we are at 1.08" for Sept after 1.72" in Aug. That said, there are some reds developing and a smattering of yellows.
Advise leaf peepers to skip my town and just stay in NJ ;)
But for any who still want to do it, rec that you check webcams at the various mountain resorts (Jay, Stowe, Sugarbush, KMart, Mt Snow, etc).
We travel to New England the first week of October every year regardless to see family. It’s usually a great week to see the foliage, but considering the way everything has been going here in NC (leaves are already starting) I was expecting an early start, it’s a bummer to hear confirmed. Oh well, looking forward to visiting either way. See y’all in a few weeks!
Indeed, I just drove across the state on Saturday and things are just starting to change in the higher valleys. Stressed trees are starting in the lower valleys as well.
Yeah you can't really have a foliage map without a drought map to accompany it. The fall colors are a fickle thing. Last year's was pretty drab in lower NY. The year before it was quite good.
It feels like it's going to be a pretty lackluster leaf season, with everything going at different times. Note to tourists: if you'd like to bring some leaves home, take as many as you'd like.
Not that I was expecting a global dataset, but title should be “USA Fall Foliage Map 2025“.
Maybe we'll get an "Autumn Foliage Map" for the rest of the world. England's looking quite beautiful this month.
Strongly recommend for Clockwork's The Incredible Biology Powering Autumn Colors｜Leaf Senescence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOjkeyjJ364.
The biochemistry of photosynthesis is wild. The fact that these are mobile power stations that plants remove from the frontline for winter is mind blowing. (The closest I can think of would be your eyes shipping all of their retinal into your liver or whatever while you sleep.)
Was hoping this would work for everywhere around the world. Cool project though!
Can I please just take a moment to talk about the Fall foliage? Autumn crimsons and browns, and golds, and buttery golds, and buttery browns.
We decided to drive down to see the seasons change... Was a long trip through Virginia... Kentucky... Tennessee... Georgia... but its just so magical to me to come from the north... where it is cold... to the south... where it is warm... To see the tremendous differences from region to region... in this incredible country ours. Mmmm.
(Birdcage)
Living in the middle of the Sonora Desert, I unfortunately don't get to experience the wonderful fall weather of the midwest anymore. I hope to someday move to a place where I can enjoy it again, it was always my favorite time of year when I was a kid.
There are a couple of places I get nostalgic for each year.
Seattle in the summer and western Pennsylvania in the fall.
There's something magical about the leaves changing color, crisp air in the morning, chilly nights with hot chocloate or apple cider.
I use the Japanese equivalents to decide where to visit in Japan in fall. Quite handy.
My first visit to Japan was late last fall. Tokyo around the 25th, Hiroshima before the end of the month, Miyajima Island, and working my way back north through the 13th of December.
I had heard the colors around Kyoto would peak in November, but I certainly didn't expect it to be so beautiful into December.
Nice map, but on mobile it doesn't let you zoom out enough to see both coasts.
Wow, those pictures look gorgeous. I'm guessing they depict the North East US somewhere? Really want to get out of Southern California so I can experience seasons again.
There are a bunch of canyons up the eastern sierra that have great fall color
https://californiafallcolor.com/map/
if you're up for a road trip, then cedar city utah is an option from southern california. the mountains on the east side of town have plenty of fall colors (lots of hiking options, national forests/parks).
Looks like the northeast because it's so flat, yeah.
Go on a roadtrip! The eastern Sierra is absolutely GORGEOUS in the fall. Because I am closer to Tahoe, one of my favorite is Hope Valley, east of the crest outside of Kirkwood.
But all the way up 395 should be pretty spectacular.
Both are from Virginia according to the alt text. I had the same thought though, the first one looked like somewhere between Vermont and New Hampshire along the Connecticut River.
I want real time updates from satellite imagery!
I've used satellite imagery to plan trips to see fall colors, you can see big stands of aspen changing colors but usually there are enough people out taking photos that you dont need it and the high enough resolution photos lack sufficient frequency.
https://www.sentinel-hub.com/
Thanks! Looks much better than those sites with all the ads.
Is it just me, or are the leaves changing color earlier than normal this year?
I could have sworn this was a biochemical incident sunlight, and yet the leaves are changing over a month earlier than every other year in recent memory.
Am I crazy?
What is a false autumn and why is it happening? - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75423qzg2go
Can also be due to drought. Did you have a drier summer/end of summer in your area?
I can confirm, MA is all drought right now.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status
Same as usual here in Colorado.
That’s how I feel here in Michigan. It’s been very dry though. Has been stellar weather for my outdoor cannabis but the good luck has run out and we are in a very wet foggy week now. Fall is certainly here. Fingers crossed I don’t have any issues with mold/mildew. As I look out the window visibility is about 100 feet the fog is so thick.
If the girls aren't in ground, move them indoors during that wet/damp stuff. Nothing worse than getting bud rot with a couple weeks to go.
They're enormous (6+ feet tall) in 10 gallon pots with stakes all around. Moving them will be a challenge =(
I might get out the leaf blower and try to gently give them a dry.