New England foliage "early" this year (?)

[Mark F]

I just returned from a weekend trip to the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts where I found the color to be at least 2 or 3 weeks ahead of previous years.  Would people living in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine comment on conditions there?

I know that there are web sites that report on foliage conditions but I have not found them to be particularly accurate.

Thanks. 

[LynnNoah]

We're in north central Vermont along Green Mountain range at about 1300 feet, but haven't had a frost yet; we are seeing only hints of change and I believe it's slower than most years.

Lynn Noah

[Photo Op]

I live in the Berkshires and agree that the change at higher elevations is indeed ahead of schedule. Journeyed into Southern Vt (Bennington) this past weekend and had the same impression.

[Mark F]

Thanks.  But it's not just at higher elevations. Even in the Southern Berkshires along routes 8 & 23, and along the Farmington River many trees have already changed.

Friends and I have a Maine trip planned for 10/9-16 and it looks like we'll be much too late.  Oh well....

[jeremypayne]

I'm two miles south of the MA border at 1500 feet and the color is just starting to show ... Far from peak.

[Steven Draper]

They are a little earlier this year in Prince Edward County, a few night of about 6degrees recently. This seems to mean that more are going to be in fall colour at the same time. In other years the first to go are already 'naked' by the time the last ones turn which does not always make for classic fall images.

[Dan Vincent]

Mark,

As someone who lived in Pittsfield for the vast majority of his life, I can fairly say that the foliage is starting to show a little early this year. I now live near Boston, but I visited my family in the Berkshires this weekend and found that some of the trees had started to turn. The situation in Albany is probably a week or so behind, since that's at a lower elevation. The vast majority of the trees are still some form of green, though. Inside 495 there's the occasional spot of color, but for the most part I wouldn't expect things to start until next week or the week after.

However, it's nowhere near prime time for either leafers or photographers in the Berkshires. Instead of having a mid-October peak, it's likely to be an early October peak. But that's just my New England gut guess.

[Mark F]

Thanks. I'll be going to the Berkshires again this weekend and might get up to Pittsfield State Forest.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

My wife and I were hiking in Monroe State Forest in western Massachusetts, near the Vermont border last Monday -- a perfect hiking day. There was enough color on some trees to be interesting, but it is still early yet here.

Six hours on the trail and never saw another person!

Eric