CONWAY — Ready for Mother Nature’s annual fall spectacular explosion of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows? Although Granite Staters have been enjoying a summerlike stretch so far this month, fall officially arrived with the autumn equinox Sunday at 8:43 a.m. And right on cue, it looks like fall colors will be popping early this year.
White Mountains Attractions, based in Woodstock near Lincoln, operates a foliage tracking website at visitwhitemountains.com . And on Wednesday, Charyl Reardon, president of White Mountains Attractions, noted the foliage change has already started on that side of the Kancamagus Highway.
“We have received reports that the leaves are changing rapidly the further north you go. Our neighbors closer to the Canadian border are seeing the foliage change to muted variations of red, yellow and orange, especially at higher elevations and near the water. Attractions such as the Mount Washington Cog Railway are seeing color pops of red mixed in with the green,” Reardon reported.
She added that National Scenic Byway Route 112 (the Kancamagus Highway, always one of the prime foliage routes every fall season), which crosses from Conway to Lincoln, has seen some birch trees starting to turn yellow, but so far the most color is closer to the top of the Kanc. Meanwhile, the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce’s website also has detailed information about the fall foliage season, and notes that the White Mountains have “landed in the top five” for multiple years in a row for foliage destinations by readers of USA Today.
It also lists favorite fall hikes, local farmstands, family fun and scenic drives at visitmwv.com . Although pops of early color are just starting locally, according to forestry experts, it looks as though New Hampshire is in for a real winner of a fall season.
Retired White Mountain National Forest forester and historian David Govatski of Jefferson — who is a frequent lecturer at Tin Mountain Conservation Center on Albany — said he expects a “spectacular” autumn foliage season in the White Mountains this year, compared to the somewhat muted season seen last year. “The foliage season is looking great, especially in the notches (Franconia, Crawford, Pinkham and Evans),” said Govatski on Tuesday. “The swamp red maples are especially bright and lingering.
The sugar maple oranges and reds have started to turn up here and are also brilliant.” A variety of factors lead Govatski to make that prediction. First, the state had a warm and wet spring and missed a late-season frost — unlike last year when there was a late May frost in 2023 that stressed trees, especially apple trees.
The summer rainfall was plentiful, and there were not drought conditions. That ought to make for a beautiful foliage display — and reports are already in expressing rave reviews for this year’s bountiful apple crop at local and state orchards. Foresters note the severe spongy moth infestation from the last two summers in the Mount Washington Valley was absent.
New Hampshire also didn’t have the leaf fungus known as tar spot on maple leaves this summer. As all outdoor lovers have been rejoicing, September so far has brought sunny days and cool, crisp, but not freezing nights. That’s connected to the foliage outlook because during warm, sunny days in September, lots of sugar is produced.
The sugars are then trapped in the leaves, producing brilliant pigments that tint red, purple and crimson. “We saw a brilliant display of red maples (Acer rubrum), also called soft or swamp maple, starting in early August,” said Govatski. He continued: “Red maple grows on diverse sites ranging from swamps to dry sandy soils.
This year, the red maples in the swamps started early in August and have displayed a long-lasting color show of brilliant scarlet.” Leaf fall is triggered by shorter daylight hours and declining intensity of sunlight, he said. The veins that carry fluids into and out of the leaf gradually close off as a layer of cells forms as the base of each leaf.
This is called the abscission layer. These clogged veins trap the sugars in the leaf and the production of anthocyanin. The leaf is ready to fall off once the abscission or separation layer is complete.
” Govatski said that with the valley’s favorable summer weather, our sugar maples (Acer saccharum) should be extra brilliant this year. “The last week of September and the first half of October should provide plenty of excuses to get outside and enjoy the leaf color,” Govatski said. Hurricanes and even heavy rains with strong winds could shorten the season; otherwise, Govatski remains bullish about the coming foliage fireworks, noting, “I expect we will have a long and colorful autumn season.
The final color display is in late October when the tamarack turns golden.” Wendy Scribner, extension field specialist/forestry field specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension, concurred with Govatski’s outlook in a separate conversation with the Sun this week. “This year, because we have not really had any of the tree health stressers out there, I think we are going to see some pretty good conditions” for colorful foliage, said Scribner.
She said the trees in good condition after above-average precipitation. According to Brian Fitzgerald, director of education for the Mount Washington Observatory, which operates a weather station on Pine Street in North Conway as well as at the summit of 6,288-foot Mount Washington, precipitation in North Conway was just below average for July at 4.22 inches but August was blessed with above-average rainfall with 6.
78 inches, which was 2.39 inches above normal and now 6.10 inches above normal for the calendar year.
So far, September has been dry, with just .18 inches of rain as of Wednesday, according to local weather observer Ed Bergeron of North Conway. Will that dry spell turn into a drought? Scribner answered, “If we don’t get rain it shouldn’t be much of a problem.
“Plants right now are beginning to shut down and will have less of a water need, so (the dry spell) would be less of a factor than were it in spring when it would be more problematic,” Scribner said. Yankee Magazine’s Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts New England’s fall foliage will peak around Oct. 11 — the start of Columbus Day Weekend.
The almanac also says New England will have near-average temperatures in September and slightly warmer temperatures in October, with below-average rainfall. Happily, the fall colors will last longer than normal, the magazine experts also predict. Yankee issued an update to the forecast in mid-September, based on how temperatures and fungus are developing.
Former Mount Washington Obs observer Jim Salge serves as Yankee’s foliage expert. Salge forecasts a great season, noting, “In summary, we expect peak color to develop on time in northern New England, compared with historical averages, with the onset of cooler weather. “Colors should be bright, and trending toward a redder year if abundant sunshine allows.
Colors should hang on longer than normal before fading and falling slowly ...
Overall, the best areas should be the Berkshires and central Green Mountains, as well as much of the White Mountains and western Maine. “A bonus bright spot later in the season may be eastern Massachusetts, where it’s been some years since a real good show,” Salge said. Economically, the state Division of Travel and Tourism is expecting a great foliage season, both in terms of visual beauty and business, with autumn being the state’s second leading season behind only summer.
Last year, 3.5 million visited the state during foliage season, and this year, approximately 3.7 million people are expected to visit New Hampshire; with spending by those visitors estimated to reach $1.
8 billion. “New Hampshire has earned a reputation of showcasing some of the most spectacular fall scenery that you’ll find anywhere in the country, so it’s no surprise people travel from all over the world to catch the incredible color,” said outgoing N.H.
Travel and Tourism Director Lori Harnois, who is leaving Sept. 26 to join an event management firm in Vermont. “Fall is the state’s second busiest travel season and the season ahead looks to be very promising for our tourism industry, and we look forward to welcoming millions of people to experience autumn in New Hampshire,” Harnois said.
New Hampshire’s marketing campaign platform will build on the momentum from the summer campaign, which highlights the feeling of Live Free, encouraging travelers to experience the state however they choose, without any expectations. The fully digital campaign has launched in its core markets of New England and eastern New York; as well as the long-haul market of Philadelphia and greater Montreal. The state of New Hampshire also operates a foliage tracker — for updates, go to visitnh.
gov/seasonal-trips/fall/foliage-tracker ..
