New England

Peak Color Fading Throughout Most Of New England

On Tuesday evening, shortly after sunset, I watched the full Hunter’s Moon rise above a gently rolling field in northern New England. The trees along the forest edge had already been stripped of their leaves, and their silhouettes were strong and spooky against the moonlight.  Considering that Halloween is somehow already upon us, the timing […]

By Jim Salge|Oct 29 2015| Print icon

Maple Row At Muster Field Farm. Captured 10-25-15

Maple Row At Muster Field Farm. Captured 10-25-15

Credit: A. Garrett Evans
On Tuesday evening, shortly after sunset, I watched the full Hunter’s Moon rise above a gently rolling field in northern New England. The trees along the forest edge had already been stripped of their leaves, and their silhouettes were strong and spooky against the moonlight.  Considering that Halloween is somehow already upon us, the timing seemed perfect.  
Hillsides still showing great color around Squam Lake. Captured 10-26-15
Hillsides still showing great color around Squam Lake. Captured 10-26-15
Credit: Benjamin Kelley
The number of such bare trees in New England has been steadily increasing the past couple of weeks, but with late start to the season, and the odd patterns of emergence this year, there is also a surprising amount of color left across the entire area. In the last week of October, its rare to see whole rows of sugar maples in northern New England still standing out in cemeteries and town centers. Hillsides of oaks are showing strong color in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and Connecticut River Valley through Massachusetts. And tamaracks are golden in the peatlands and the northern forests, where trees are otherwise bare.  
Maple Row At Muster Field Farm. Captured 10-25-15
Maple row at Muster Field Farm. Captured 10-25-15
Credit: A. Garrett Evans
A considerable amount of peak color is even holding strong in parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts, though the midweek storm should bring down a lot of the brightest leaves in these states. By the weekend, we expect peak will have collapsed down to within three main rings, for perhaps another week or so. One will encircle downtown Boston, another larger ring will cover eastern Rhode Island, the Cape and Islands, and the third will encompass southern New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut. These areas are always last to turn, and should have great color into early November.
Peak Color in Manchester Connecticut. Captured 10-26-15
Peak color in Manchester Connecticut. Captured 10-26-15
Credit: Jonathan Steele
One shouldn’t discount visiting areas that have passed peak in much of the rest of southern and central New England, though. The forest understory will continue to glow with golds and rusts as the sun increasingly penetrates the open canopy. A hike along a forest path with crisp, freshly fallen foliage is one the things I look forward to in the shoulder season between the colors of fall and the white of winter, which isn’t all that far away now.  
New Haven County, Connecticut is one of the last places to peak in New England. Captured 10-27-15
New Haven County, Connecticut is one of the last places to peak in New England. Captured 10-27-15
Credit: Tracey Streeto
We will be winding down our fall foliage reports next week with a look back at the season, and will highlight areas of lingering autumn color.  You can help help us with this final report by posting to our map when the last of the colors come down in your area with our fall foliage app.  
Please continue to submit to our fall foliage app as the colors fade in your region
Please continue to submit to our fall foliage app as the colors fade in your region
We also encourage you to share your thoughts and images on this past season with us on our Fall Foliage Facebook page, and using hashtag #NEFoliage or #Foliagereports on Twitter or Instagram. Lastly, there is only one more week to enter our annual fall foliage photo contest, as the deadline will be November 6th.   Don’t forget to set your clocks back, and enjoy the last colors of the subsiding season!  

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.

More by Jim Salge

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