When will it look like fall? Pa. foliage report suggests ‘great’ season in store.
Fall-lovers, rejoice: Forests “seem less affected by fungus this year,” meaning a “great fall foliage season” is expected ahead.
The Eagles are back in action and your pantry might already be stocked with Sweetzels — but when will it start to look like fall?
The true sign of the season’s arrival may be the leaves’ changing hues, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is helping residents plan out those optimal hikes with the return of its weekly fall foliage report.
The most recent report shows that Pennsylvania’s southern counties are still seeing green, but areas to the north are starting to turn. Can’t wait? Take a trip up to Susquehanna or Wayne Counties, which are already “approaching best color,” according to the map tracking foliage for Sept. 26 to Oct. 2.
Philadelphians will have to wait a little longer. While much depends on the weather, peak foliage could arrive around the third or fourth week of October, said Ryan Reed, a natural resource specialist with the department’s Bureau of Forestry. Last year, warmer temperatures pushed the region’s peak to the beginning of November.
The color changes are triggered by a number of factors, according to the department, including leaf pigment, sunlight, and temperature.
Fear not, fall-lovers — “forests seem less affected by fungus this year and appear poised to deliver a great fall foliage season,” according to to the agency’s report.
“Fall is Pennsylvania’s forte,” said Carrie Fischer Lepore of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. “Wherever you are, opportunities abound to see the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows dotting the mountains and lining the rivers and roads all across the state.”
» READ MORE: These might be the prettiest pictures of the N.J. Pinelands you’ll see this year
The DCNR will release its reports every Thursday for the next five or six weeks. But of course, it’s not the only foliage map in town. A visitors site for the Smoky Mountains has its own map, tracking foliage across the country. It details “patchy” changes to leaves in the region now, but predicts some more pops of color showing up next weekend.