Discover the best rides to admire the fall foliage this year
Pack your hiking boots and your pumpkin spice coffee! We’re hitting the road to highlight some amazing fall getaways from USA TODAY’s 10 Best team.
Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY
There’s a chill in the air and you’re holding a pumpkin spice latte, which means the only thing missing for a perfect fall is the full splendor of New England’s leaves.
When will fall foliage peak this year? And will the color be spectacular or disappointing?
A Yankee magazine meteorologist has released his predictions for this fall’s foliage change across New England, and it’s shaping up to be a good season in New Hampshire.
“So far, the situation suggests that the outlook for fall foliage in New England is quite bright, but fall conditions will have to continue to cooperate,” the meteorologist said.
Here is the full forecast.
Fall foliage forecast for New Hampshire: “Ready for a big spectacle”
Jim Salge, meteorologist and foliage reporter for Yankee Magazine, said in his forecast that it appears to be a good foliage year in New Hampshire and all of New England.
“The forest looks healthy, vibrant and full of energy, ready for a big show,” Salge told the magazine.
The foliage colors depend on the climatic conditions: The optimal weather for strong colors is warm days and cool nights, because then the green chlorophyll is broken down and red color pigments are formed, explains Salge in the article.
This year, the colors are expected to be bright and could be redder than normal with “abundant” sunshine, the forecast said.
“The colors should last longer than normal before fading and slowly falling off,” Salge said.
Where will the autumn leaves be most beautiful this year?
In the article, Salge said the areas with the best fall foliage this year will be around the Berkshires in Massachusetts, the central Green Mountains in Vermont, the White Mountains in New Hampshire and western Maine.
“An additional bright spot later in the season could be Eastern Massachusetts, which hasn’t had a truly ‘good show’ in several years!” Salge wrote.
When does fall foliage peak in New Hampshire, New England?
According to Yankee magazine’s fall foliage forecast, the colors will be most prominent as the weather cools.
“We expect northern New England’s color splendor to be at its fullest in time for cooler weather compared to historical averages,” Salge said.
