The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Expect fall foliage around mid-October
Fall foliage is around the corner in Connecticut and some minor changes are predicted to appear this season, such as longer patches of green colors.
According to Will Healey, media relations manager at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, foliage should peak around midto-late October.
In DEEP’s fall foliage map, which forecasts peak foliage across the state, colors are set to start peaking in the northern parts of Connecticut in early October. By mid-to-late October, most of central and western Connecticut will start seeing vibrant colors. Most of Fairfield County will see foliage peak by early November.
Though the map has not been updated yet for this year, Healey noted a few expected differences between the foliage seasons of 2021 and 2020.
Healey detailed that leaves should be staying green longer this year. This is attributed to the recent spike in average temperatures as well as plentiful rainfall.
“Last year was a bad drought year and this year we’ve had quite a bit of rainfall that plays a role in the foliage display,” Healey said.
Cooler overnight temperatures in September will eventually lead to color changes in the leaves across the state, Healey said.
Healey added that trees in the western part of the state have been the victims of defoliation by pockets of gypsy moths however, due to volume of rain this summer, DEEP has noticed less of an issue with the moths. This has given trees “relief ” as the stress of the moths has stopped for the season.
Though some may see fallen leaves in the summer, DEEP considers these sightings to be isolated incidents and “unlikely to be a sign that the fall foliage season has started, according to Healey.
Reasons for the early leaving can be attributed to stress on trees, which can cause them to shed their leaves and possibly cause “premature color.”
According to the American Forests organization, leaves change their colors due to lower levels of chlorophyll present during the fall months. Chlorophyll is the engine behind the process of photosynthesis, which gives the leaves their green colors.
Behind the leaves’ green pigments are carotenoids, which produce the red and orange colors present in fall foliage. As leaves receive less sunlight and heat to drive the process of photosynthesis, the carotenoids’ colors emerge.