Natural History Wanderings

The  I Love New York website has the following new fall foliage report for the week of Sept. 16-22, 2015.  See photos at I love New York Fall Foliage Report

Beautiful Fall Foliage Expected in Adirondacks This Weekend

Autumn colors also appearing in Thousand Island-Seaway, Catskills, Capital-Saratoga and other regions

Albany, N.Y. – Beautiful fall colors are continuing to emerge in New York State. Travelers can expect to find the most vivid leaves in the Adirondacks this weekend, according to spotters for Empire State Development’s I LOVE NEW YORK program. Significant areas of fall color are also expected in the Thousand Island-Seaway, Catskills and Capital-Saratoga regions.

Beautiful fall color is gradually emerging in the Adirondacks region. Color transition this weekend will be in the early to approaching midpoint stage of change in the Tupper Lakeand Mt. Arab areas of Franklin County. Look for 35-40 percent foliage change by the weekend, with copper, canary, rhubarb, cranberry and crimson leaves of average brilliance. In Herkimer County, spotters in Old Forge predict 20-25 percent color change by the weekend, with touches of red and purple emerging from the predominately green backdrop. Foliage observers at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington predict 10-15 percent color transition, with yellow leaves beginning to appear in some areas. Hamilton County spotters in Speculator also expect 10-15 percent color change with some dull shades of yellow and red beginning to emerge from the green, along with a few bright red leaves peeking out.

Other reporting stations in the Adirondacks region expect less than 10 percent color change by the weekend.

 

In the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, look for up to 25 percent change in the northern areas of Oswego County and 15 percent in the southern parts. In Northern Oswego County areas such as Pulaski, Sandy Creek, and Altmar, a warm palette of yellows and oranges have just started to make an appearance with dull to average brilliance. Dull greens with touches of orange still dominate the color scheme in the southern parts of the county. Spotters in Alexandria Bay in Jefferson County predict 20 percent color change with some yellow leaves. In St. Lawrence County expect up to 20 percent color change. In the Adirondacks part of the county, touches of red and gold are emerging. In the St. Lawrence River Valley portion of the county, it’s mostly green with a small amount of color.

In the Catskills, spotters in the Saugerties area of Ulster County expect between 15 and 20 percent leaf change by the weekend, with mostly bright leaves of yellow and gold, along with some red leaves. Also in the county, spotters at Belleayre Mountain expect 10 percent color change with subtle shades of red and gold popping up. Delaware County’s color change will inch up to about 15 percent, while the Catskill and Lanesville areas of Greene County expect about 10 percent color change. In Catskill look for emerging fall shades of red; in Lanesville look for shades of yellow and red appearing over the fading green backdrop. Other regional reporting stations expect less than 10 percent change.

In the Capital-Saratoga region, look for 20 percent color change in Fulton County, where spotters in Northville note red, orange and purple leaves appearing on the sugar maples. Other trees have early shades of yellow and brown. Expect up to 15 percent color change in the Gloversville area by weekend as shades of rust and yellow continue to emerge. Leaf peepers in Rensselaer County expect around 10 percent change in the northern and eastern portions of the county, along with areas of higher elevation. Look for dark shades of red and light shades of yellow. Other reporting stations in the region expect less than 10 percent color change.

In Central New York, spotters in Schoharie County based in Howes Cave, expect 15 percent change by the weekend. Binghamton spotters are also expecting 15 percent color change with some shades of yellow emerging. Look for 10-15 percent change in the Uticaarea of Oneida County, where subtle hints of change include hues of mostly yellow, gold, peach and amber. Madison County is expecting 10 percent change with the green starting to give way to yellow, orange and bright red leaves. In Southern Herkimer County, spotters based in Mohawk expect about 10 percent change by the weekend with fall colors of yellow and some red.

Color change will be minimal throughout the Finger Lakes region. Cayuga County expects 10 percent leaf transition with some gold and red leaves emerging. Ontario County spotters in Canandaigua project 10 percent color change with hints of rust, orange and gold leaves. Look for between 5 and 10 percent change in Schuyler and Seneca counties. Other counties in the region expect less than 10 percent color change.

In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, foliage spotters in Little Valley in Cattaraugus County predict a little more than 10 percent color change for the weekend with some yellow hues of average brilliance emerging from the green backdrop. Look for up to 10 percent change at Allegany State Park. Chautauqua County spotters expect 10 percent color change with some pale orange-brown fall color.

Fall color in the Greater Niagara region is still in the very early stages. Look for 10 percent change in Genesee County, less in Niagara, Orleans, Erie and Wyoming counties.

In the Hudson Valley, spotters in Poughkeepsie expect 10 percent color change by the weekend with the leaves still mostly green. Spotters in the upper part of Westchester County predict up to 10 percent color change in spots. Also predicting 10 percent color change are spotters at Bear Mountain in Rockland County, where dull yellow, red and brown leaves are appearing. The rest of the region reports less than 10 percent color change.