New England

Fall In New England Is About More Than Just Foliage

By Jim Salge|Sep 03 2015|

Friends enjoy a hike in perfect autumn weather in New England

Photo Credit: Jim Salge

Signs of autumn have been tough to come by this past week, but on the way out the door this morning, I was snapped into an autumn sensory overload. The air was warm, humid, stagnant, and generally un-September-like, but it also was thick with the smell of ripe Concord grapes growing wild on the vines in the adjacent woods. After watching them slowly ripen all summer, I look forward to this delicious day every year as a sure marker of autumn’s onset, and all the good it brings to New England!

Wild Concord Grapes Are Ripening In New England, A Sure Sign Of Autumn
*Photo Credit : Jim Salge*

Other early signals will be emerging over the next few weeks before the leaves kick in for the main show. Apple orchards will be opening, welcoming folks who minds are set to bake pies and boil sauces. Birders will be hiking to exposed ridges to watch the dramatic migration of the broad-winged hawk. And, of course, football is back under the lights in small towns on Friday nights, and on the television all weekend! The leaves will assuredly follow suit soon after, partially on a timetable dictated by the sun, and part on the annual prevailing conditions. The best autumn color is brought out by mainly sunny skies, warm days, cool nights and very occasional rainfall. These conditions generally describe typical New England autumn weather, which is why our foliage is so often amazing!

Temperature Forecast — General Temperature Trends Through Mid September Show Continued Mild Weather
*Photo Credit : NOAA CPC*

Those conditions haven’t exactly been realized recently; average nighttime temperatures in Northern New England should be falling into the forties, but haven’t settled there so far, nor are they expected to for the next week. Fortunately, it’s still early, and this pattern was largely anticipated this year in our annual Foliage Forecast. At some point, undoubtedly, the pendulum will swing back towards cool and kick-start the procession of color, and the region will celebrate. More and more every year though, I’m learning that fall in New England is about more than just foliage – it’s about local traditions tied to the land and landscape. Autumn here is really about the annual fall themed events that seemingly every small town in New England celebrates. The anticipation of fall includes looking forward to festivals and agricultural fairs, and the food there that you look forward to all year. It’s about seeing friends and neighbors there, and welcoming visitors from all over the world into the village!

Autumn here is about annual family traditions tied to taking in this special season. The family hike to that perfect overlook on a crisp day under clear skies where you can seemingly see forever. It’s the trip to the orchard that binds generations together. It’s the foliage drive along your favorite route, where the only predestined stop is for cider donuts. It’s spending time together tossing the football, then lighting the bonfire and watching the harvest moon rise. Autumn here is about a collective preparation for the coming long, hard season ahead. Finalizing the harvest, and preparing the garden for the following spring. It’s about raking leaves and stacking wood and winterizing the tractor taking the boat out one last time before putting it away. It’s about your neighbor offering you a hand, and you to them.

Autumn Morning Mists — Morning Mist Surrounds Sailboats on a Cool New England Morning
*Photo Credit : Jim Salge*

And of course, it’s about the leaves, that set the backdrop for everything else! Why do so many come to New England every year? The same reason that everyone here looks forward to it. Everything about autumn here, is perfect. If you are planning your trip to New England to visit with us, or just planning any of your annual traditions, be sure to follow along with us here on our: New England Foliage Blog Fall Foliage Maps Fall Foliage Facebook Page Foliage App We’ll see you soon!

Jim Salge

As a former meteorologist at the Mount Washington Observatory, foliage reporter Jim Salge is a keen observer of the progression of the seasons in New England. He uses his knowledge of weather, geography, and climate to pinpoint the best time to visit various New England locations to find the best light, atmosphere, and, most importantly, color.

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Fall In New England Is About More Than Just Foliage

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