Boston – There’s nothing quite like autumn in New England. As the humidity begins to drop and the summer sun slowly darkens faster by the day, you’ll be able to smell changes in the air, from pumpkin lattes to apple cider donuts. But it’s the show Mother Nature puts on each fall that really sets the mood, and local foliage expert Jim Sarge says it’s going to be a good year.
“I think it’s going to be a good year. It’s going to be a long pastel season,” Sarge explains.
Jim Sarge, a New England fall foliage expert who has provided detailed forecasts for Yankee Magazine for over a decade, knows there are challenges each year.
“Last year was a short and bright year. Drought brought big colors, but then it plummeted.
Last year’s weather is the reason for the change.
“Last year we had really crazy weather, from drought to full freeze in February to late frost in May, so all of these things are having an effect,” Sarge explains.
Back in February, mercury dropped to minus 10 degrees Celsius in Boston and inland. Although some fruit trees were damaged, the forests generally appeared healthy, and the cold weather actually helped keep pests at bay.
“The good news is that spongy moths didn’t survive the extreme Arctic blast this February, so we didn’t see much leaf damage from pests and caterpillars this year,” Sarge says. .
The recent rainy weather has had the greatest impact on the fall foliage this year.
“We’re headed for El Niño. We’ve had a lot of rain already. It’s going to be warm and wet into the fall. That’s really the biggest factor,” Sarge explains. “So if the soil is too wet, the roots won’t have a chance to dry out, and the tree won’t be able to process photosynthesis properly, which will put a lot of stress on it. If it stays wet, it’ll lose color.” please”
And while you may have already noticed an early start to the season, Sarge cautions, don’t expect a big, red, bright punch of color this year.
“We’re factoring in the fact that we’re going to have leaf fungus around this fall because of the humidity. That’s one of the reasons why we don’t expect it to be the brightest year, even if it lasts a long time.” Sarge affirms.
The best time to see them will be a little later, and the season of beautiful autumn leaves will be extended. You don’t have to travel far to find great autumn leaves this year.
“So I think the Down East of Maine is doing well. And they haven’t had a great year in southern New England for a long time. I think they’re ready to have a pretty good year, too. But they’re going to have a great year. “It’s going to be a long season for everyone to go out and have fun,” Sarge told WBZ-TV.