Fall color blast delayed but coming soon

The temperatures may not be feeling very fall-like, but the changing leaves tell a different story.

Some color changes are happening in the Valley, but it’s not at peak just yet.

Lynn Zocolo, educator at Mill Creek MetroParks, said there are some pops of color throughout the park, but the peak foliage is a bit later than last year, by about a week or so.

Temperatures play a big role in the change. Cool, crisp nights help the leaves turn colors, and the Valley has been unseasonably warm for the start of fall.

“We are starting to see pops of color around the park, little pockets here and there. However, peak foliage is predicted to be next week, toward the end of the week,” Zocolo said.

Some trees that turned early are already dropping leaves, and that is a sign of stress, Zocolo says.

“We had a long, dry, hot summer, so the leaves that have been turning since the end of August and the beginning of September, those trees are a little stressed because of the weather conditions and such,” Zocolo said.

Once peak foliage hits, there should be a few weeks to enjoy the color before the leaves drop, but that also depends on the weather. Rain and wind can bring the leaves down faster.

View the full article at wkbn.com