Natural History Wanderings

Appalachian State University reports

The weather in the mountains has been above normal in temperature and below normal in terms of rainfall. The NC Climate Office predicts drought will develop throughout the mountains this fall, especially near the Georgia border: (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/…/expert_as…/season_drought.png). The higher temperatures could slightly delay the onset of fall colors, but only by a few days, so I don’t think you’ll have to change your plans if you’ve already decided on which weekend or weekday that you’ll be coming up to the mountains. However, the drought could have more dramatic impacts, especially on the quality of the display.

Already, I’m seeing tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees losing massive amounts of their inner leaves, which are turning yellow and are then followed quickly by a blackening (caused most likely by oxidation byproducts, like when an apple turns brown after you bite into it). In years with adequate rainfall, tulip poplars hold on to their leaves later into the season, and near the end of a fall color season, stand as grand, yellow beacons against a gray, leafless hillside. But this year, I’m afraid that display may not come to be.

Read more at Appalachian Fall Color

See photos at  https://drive.google.com/…/fol…/0BxpSVO5IUz-EU1lNUHVzZEdtMDA