Fall foliage season may not last long this year, experts say
If you noticed some changes in the leaves earlier than usual, it’s not just you. Experts at Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources say that the state’s famously-vibrant fall foliage season has started earlier than usual this year and is expected to be shorter due to extended dry spells this summer.
“We are experiencing an earlier fall foliage season in Pennsylvania this year,” said Cecile Steltzer, district forester for the Cornplanter State Forest in the northwest part of Pennsylvania. “That was brought on by the very dry conditions that we had this summer into early this fall.”
According to data from the National Weather Service, the wider Pittsburgh area has received only 12.59 inches of rain between the start of June and the end of September, less than the 12.69 inches over the same time in 2024, and less than the average of 15.2 inches.
Steltzer said that this dryness has caused leaves on some trees to change color earlier than usual, and other leaves to already fall off.
“We started seeing color in about the middle of September, and usually it starts later in September. So we’re about two weeks early,” Steltzer said. “We are predicting that it will probably be a shorter season, wrapping up probably by the end of October for most of the state.”
Pennsylvania’s forests have a reputation for some of the most vibrant fall foliage in North America, if not the entire world. According to the DCNR, this is largely due to its location between 40 and 42 degrees north latitude, a “sweet spot” that can support trees typically found in northern and southern regions.
“We have a very large state, and so that translates into a very long foliage season,” Steltzer said. “In Pennsylvania, we have over 120 different native tree species, and all of those species exhibit different colors and change at different times.”
However, the relatively dry summer across Pennsylvania this year may lead not just to a shorter fall foliage season, but a more muted one, as moisture is one of the ingredients necessary for leaves to produce vibrant colors.
“That's the element this year that we’ve been missing,” Steltzer said. “We like to have rain every seven to 10 days, and we went for a very long stretch there in late summer when we didn’t get any rain, so that’s kind of muting the color. When we get the right mix of precipitation, sunlight, and cooler temperatures, that really sets us up for a very vibrant fall foliage.”
Later this month, Moraine State Park is allowing visitors to take advantage of the opportunity to see the spectacle for themselves in Butler County with two separate events: a Fall Foliage Paddle on Thursday, Oct. 9, and a Fall Foliage Cruise aboard Preston’s Pearl on Lake Arthur on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Jennings Environmental Education Center is also hosting a self-guided fall foliage walkabout each day between Oct. 11 and 19, during which visitors can pick up a free guide and follow a designated route.
According to the DCNR’s fall foliage report released Sept. 25, Butler County’s status is listed as “just starting.” Week-by-week fall foliage reports will be available throughout the season at the DCNR’s website.
