"Soaking in the fall foliage is an annual tradition in the New England states as well as areas such as the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina and Upper Peninsula of Michigan. As the days shorten and temperatures drop, chlorophyll in leaves breaks down, and they turn to the autumn tones of yellow, orange and red."
"But dry weather in summer and fall can change all that because the lack of water causes leaves to brown and fall more quickly. And that's happening this year, as more than 40% of the country was considered to be in a drought in early October, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. That's more than twice the average, said Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist and an author"
Leaf-peeping season is underway across New England and other popular regions, but prolonged drought has reduced the vibrancy and duration of fall colors. Chlorophyll breakdown normally reveals yellow, orange and red tones as days shorten and temperatures cool. Lack of water from dry summer and fall conditions causes leaves to brown and drop sooner, shortening display windows. More than 40% of the country was in drought in early October, with the Northeast and western U.S. notably affected. Some locations still show strong color, yet climate-related stresses are contributing to a generally shorter, less colorful season in many areas.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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