Fall Foliage Report: Sept. 25

Patchy color now extends through most of Connecticut.

The majority of the state is seeing at least scattered fall colors with the highest terrain becoming the most vibrant. Along the immediate shoreline and near the Connecticut River, color remains widely isolated.

Patchy color:
Outside of the deeper valleys and the coastline, patchy yellows, oranges and reds are being reported through much of Connecticut. While some spots right down to I-95 in Fairfield County are seeing some nice foliage, note that green still dominates overall.

Near-peak:
The highest terrain across northern Litchfield County is showing signs of deeper, more consistent color. As a result, those locations are now reporting near-peak foliage.

Into this weekend:
Despite a brief cool-down today, warmer weather will soon return. With highs in the 70s on Friday and temperatures reaching the 80s in some spots by Saturday and Sunday, the foliage trend is likely to momentarily slow down. This means it will be a great weekend to head up into the northwestern hills of Connecticut, where foliage is becoming more widespread. The Norfolk area along Route 44 may be one of the best spots to catch some foliage. Most of the outlying areas throughout the state can also expect to see some color, so get out and enjoy the unseasonably warm conditions, if you are able to do so.

No major changes are expected with the foliage through the final days of September. If anything, it’s likely that patchy color will overspread the entire state with near-peak conditions expanding across the hills for the next report.

Map color table:
Green – Most leaves are green
Lime green – Patchy color is noted (more than 50% green)
Yellow – Colors are approaching peak (more than 50% turning)
Orange – Colors are peaking (more than 75% have turned)
Brown – Colors are turning brown and leaves are falling

Reports will be posted each Monday and Thursday through the foliage season.