Fall Foliage Report: Oct. 16

Most of Connecticut is seeing near-peak or peak foliage.

The hills across Connecticut have peak foliage with the highest terrain in northwestern Connecticut past peak. Near-peak foliage continues across the Connecticut River Valley and the coastal plain. While variable conditions are noted along the coast, color is still considered patchy there.

Past peak:
The highest elevations of northern Litchfield County have moved into the past peak category. Although some color remains in spots, the leaf drop continues to accelerate.

Peak:
Most of the outlying areas and hills across inland Connecticut are reporting peak foliage. Although there is some variability with oaks hanging onto green, maples especially are quite vibrant.

Near-peak:
Across the valleys, while colors continue to deepen, the foliage has not quite peaked in those areas. Some spots down near I-95 have moved into the near-peak category, particularly in New London County.

Patchy color:
Color has not become widespread enough along the beaches and immediate shoreline to be considered near-peak. However, there are plenty of areas even down on the coast that are showing well-developed color.

Into this weekend:
Rain and gusty winds on Thursday will bring down a significant number of leaves across the state. Once conditions clear out, Friday and Saturday look like excellent days to view foliage. At this time, the best foliage spots should be located roughly between I-95 and I-84 with some of the best widespread color so far this season. Across the higher terrain of northwestern Connecticut, most locations will no longer be showing vibrant colors. While the northeastern hills have been showing nice foliage, conditions here will also be moving into the past peak category. A drive along Route 66 from Meriden up to Willimantic will feature some very nice color over the next couple of days.

The foliage season is winding down across much of Litchfield County. While some oaks may still be turning, the more vibrant maples are mostly stripped of their leaves. Some of the most widespread color across Connecticut can be expected from the weekend of the 18th/19th into the following week. Beyond that, a steady move past peak color will be noted from north to south through the state.

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.