Beautiful fall colors approaching near peak are expected in some areas of the Adirondacks this weekend, according to observers for Empire State Development's I Love New York program, while color change in most other areas of the state continues to progress slowly.
In the Adirondacks, spotters reporting from Tupper Lake and Mt. Arab in Franklin County expect midpoint to near peak conditions with 45-50 percent leaf change. There is a subtle brilliance to the leaves here and a rosy, golden glow marks the landscape with the leaves gently transitioning to a plush and impressive kaleidoscope of cranberry, burgundy, lemon, goldenrod, ginger, tangerine, and crimson gradually overtaking the green lush of summer.
In Essex County, spotters reporting from Lake Placid predict that trees will reach midpoint to near peak in some areas by this weekend. Some hillsides have vast amounts of relatively brilliant color with shades of orange, yellow and crimson. Other hillsides have very little color change. Opportunities for spectacular foliage photos should continue into the next couple of weeks, barring any heavy wind storms.
In Hamilton County, spotters in Indian Lake predict midpoint conditions with 50 percent color change and leaves of mostly average brilliance. Look for shades of red, orange and yellow. Some areas are mostly green, while other areas have considerable color. In Warren County, spotters in North Creek expect up to 50 percent color change and midpoint conditions by the weekend with dull red, orange and yellow leaves. In the southern portion of the county, spotters inLake George project only around 10 percent change with burnt orange, yellow and occasional red leaves. Herkimer County spotters in Old Forge predict midpoint conditions with 40 percent change and green, burgundy, yellow and orange leaves of average brilliance. Hamilton County spotters based in Speculator expect 30-40 percent change and near midpoint conditions with significant amounts of red, yellow and orange leaves. Spotters in Malone, in Franklin County, expect 25-30 percent change and beginning to midpoint conditions this weekend. Look for red, yellow and orange leaves emerging from the still green backdrop. Spotters in Crown Point, in Essex County, expect 15-30 percent color change with some yellow, orange, russet and some flame orange leaves of mostly muted brilliance. Spotters inWillsboro predict 10 -20 percent color change with some bright sun-yellow Ash, auburn Red Maples and umber Elms.
In the Catskills, spotters in Delaware County expect 25 percent change by the weekend with muted orange, gold and green leaves. Expect more change at higher altitudes. Some mountainsides in Roxbury are seeing much more variety of color than the middle of the county. Greene County spotters expect 20-25 percent color change, with red and orange leaves beginning to show, along with just a hint of yellow. Above 2000' the maple trees are just starting to change. In Ulster County, spotters in Kingston expect 10-15 percent color change with yellow, brownish burgundy and hints of dark orange interspersed among the green.
In the Capital-Saratoga region, spotters in Rensselaer County expect beginning to midpoint color conditions by the weekend. Look for 30-40 percent color change in the eastern and northern parts of the county and 20-30 percent change in the western and southern portions. Emerging colors include shades of yellow, red and orange. Spotters in Fulton County reporting from Gloversville expect 30 percent change by the weekend with muted fall shades of yellow, orange and rust. Fulton County spotters in Northville expect 25 percent color change with red, yellow, brown and orange leaves of average brilliance. Schenectady County foliage observers reporting from Glenville expect 20 percent color change with gold and yellow leaves. Saratoga County spotters in Saratoga Springs expect 20 percent color change and dull-average shades of yellow, orange and red, along with some gold mixed in. Albany County spotters in Voorheesville expect just about 15 percent color change.
In the Hudson Valley, color change will be up to 25 percent in Rockland County in Bear Mountain. Look for green, yellow and orange leaves. Also in Rockland County, spotters in New City expect up to 25 percent color change with touches of red, purple, yellow and orange leaves. In Orange County, color change should range from 10-25 percent. Spotters in Newburgh expect 20-25 percent change with yellow leaves; spotters in Goshen predict up to 10 percent color change with touches of red, yellow and orange leaves of average brilliance. In Columbia County, color change will range from 5 percent in the valley to 15 percent in higher elevations. Leaves are mostly green with hints of yellow and orange. Dutchess County spotters in Poughkeepsie expect 10 percent change this weekend, with some gold, orange, rust and yellow leaves beginning to appear.
In Central New York, spotters in Mohawk in Herkimer County, expect beginning to midpoint conditions this weekend with 40-45 percent color change and bright red, orange and gold leaves. Look for 25 percent color change in the Broome County. Binghamton spotters note bright green, red and yellow leaves between beginning and midpoint of change. Madison County spotters in Morrisville project 20 percent color change with the green backdrop gradually giving way to touches of canary yellow, orange and a little cardinal red. Spotters in Utica, in Oneida County, expect 15-20 percent color change. The abundantly green backdrop is slowly giving way to shades of gold, amber and blush, along with hints of vibrant reds and oranges. Cooperstown spotters in Otsego County predict 15 percent color change for the weekend with splashes of red, yellow and orange leaves. Look for 10-15 percent color change with touches of yellow leaves in Chenango County, according to spotters in Norwich.
Spotters in Watkins Glen, in Schuyler County, expect 20 percent color change with dull to average colors of green and yellow, along with a touch of red. In Seneca County, look for 15-20 percent change with hints of yellow and orange appearing in some smaller trees. Monroe County spotters reporting from the Rochester area predict up to nearly 20 percent color change by the weekend. Trees are mostly green, but there are now signs of red, brown and orange leaves showing up on certain trees, even near Lake Ontario which is traditionally later to change. Some of the leaves are green with brown edges. In Livingston County, spotters in Geneseo expect 10-15 percent color change with gold, red and yellow leaves of average brilliance. Owego leaf peepers in Tioga County expect about 20 percent change with touches of red and yellow emerging. In Onondaga County, Syracuse area spotters expect up to 15 percent color change. Trees are still mostly green with some shades of yellow, red and purple. In Ontario County, spotters in Canandaigua expect 15 percent color change with some muted shades of yellow, along with some occasional reds and oranges starting to appear. Other regional reporting stations expect 10 percent or less change.
In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, spotters in Little Valley, in Cattaraugus County, predict just less than 20 percent color change this weekend. Shades of green are the predominate color with yellow hues and some shades of red, and are average in brilliance. Spotters in Cattaraugus County at Allegany State Park predict 15 percent color change for the weekend with mostly green leaves along with touches of yellow and red.
Color change will average around 10 percent this weekend throughout the Greater Niagara region. Spotters at Niagara Falls in Niagara County expect 10 percent change with some yellow, orange and brown leaves. In Erie County, spotters in Buffalo expect 10 percent change with copper, yellow and some deep burgundy/purple tones emerging. Orleans County spotters reporting from Albion also project 10 percent change, along with touches of gold and red emerging.
Color will still be in the beginning stage in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region this weekend. In St. Lawrence County, spotters reporting from the St. Lawrence River Valley expect less than 30 percent change with dull to average shades of green, along with touches of red, yellow and orange. In Jefferson County, spotters in Alexandria Bay expect 25 percent color change with shades of green and yellow leaves of average brilliance. In Oswego County, expect 20-25 percent change by the weekend. Throughout northeastern Oswego County, the foliage is shifting from the vibrant green of summer to the golden hue of autumn. More trees are beginning to show their true orange and red colors and a number more are transforming into various shades of violet and plum. Muted greens continue to dominate the landscape of the southwestern part of the county, with some trees showing bits of orange and red.
Foliage on Long Island and in New York City has yet to significantly begin changing.
Visit the I Love New York webpage for updated Foliage Reports.