AccuWeather makes major announcement on fall foliage timeline

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Leaves are changing colors early this fall in the Northeast and that’s thanks to the weather, according to AccuWeather.
Meteorologists point to dry weather which began back in August as the reason select trees have been under stress, ultimately slowing the supply of food and water to the leaves. Moreover, cooler weather at the start of September has compounded the issue and further sped up the transition in colors.
“Leaves started early this fall to make the change from their normal green to yellows and oranges across the Northeast and Ohio Valley,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. ”Over recent years, the change [has been] more pronounced in late September.”
“The production of chlorophyll (the green pigment in trees) was shut down and the colorful pigments left in the leaf were allowed to come forward,” added Pastelok.
As explained by AccuWeather, while this premature appearance means fall foliage colors will persist longer in the mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and New England, the peak colors may not be so impressive.
Additionally, given the stress from the dry weather, it is possible that trees shed their leaves sooner; any windy weather could also contribute to an early shedding, according to AccuWeather.
Future weather shall determine how vibrant these fall colors become. As noted by AccuWeather, if there’s plenty of sun and cooler nights without frost, residents can expect the early onset of reds and purples ahead of usual.
This latest news from AccuWeather comes a few weeks after it issued its 2025 fall foliage forecast. In that forecast, AccuWeather revealed that areas in Central New York could expect colors to be at their best in early October. Meanwhile, the Hudson Valley was forecast to peak in mid October and colors in New York City were expected to peak in late October.
The forecast also previously noted the probability of vibrant fall colors throughout much of eastern and northern upstate New York.