After the close of a dry and warm October, tri-state-area tourism officials say they have had a busy fall season, even though the foliage was duller than in some years. “It’s been an incredibly busy fall for us,” said Brian Preston, Dubuque County Conservation executive director. “Our campgrounds have been at or near capacity all fall.
” However, Preston said the foliage display across the county was rather dull, mainly because of the warmth and drought. As of Oct. 29, Dubuque County was under severe drought conditions, along with much of the tri-state area, according to the U.
S. Drought Monitor. Temperatures in Dubuque were above average for 20 days in September and 23 days in October, according to National Weather Service data.
Cooler fall nights provide more vibrant colors, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
“It’s kind of a disappointing second year in a row,” Preston said. “Drought stresses the trees.” However, Preston said he has not heard many complaints about the color from tourists.
He said even in a duller-than-average year, tourists still appreciate the changing of the leaves and non-locals do not realize the fall color display in Dubuque can get even better some years. Tracy Fishnick, tourism director for Cassville, Wis., agreed that leaf color this fall was not as vibrant as some years past.
She said the warm weather delayed the changing of the leaves. “For fall colors, I felt like it was a bit later this year than past years,” she said. .
