For foliage updates, go to www.mainefoliage.com/.
RUMFORD — Although western Maine foliage revealed some eye-popping color Thursday — the first day of autumn — foliage in northern Maine was already nearing peak.
Don’t worry about missing the changeover here. Maine foliage spokeswoman Gail Ross said the rest of the state can expect peak color to follow its established timetable.
“I know people were worried that the foliage change would happen earlier this year, but it pretty much follows its usual course,” said Ross of the Maine Department of Conservation. “Our foresters have said that little bit of rain we got slowed it down. I think that rain was from (Hurricane) Igor, but it’s slowed things down so that now we’re on track.”
She said the leaves in northern Maine are near full color and should be peaking the first week of October. The rest of the state could expect the onset of peak color on Columbus Day weekend.
Trying to determine when peak foliage arrives in all but northern Maine is a bit of a guessing game, she said.
“It’s a guess because temperatures are usually warmer toward the coast,” Ross said.
“There is still a lot of green out there, but people have probably noticed when they got up one day, that there’s a lot more color out there,” she said. “We’re having some cool nights, but we haven’t had a killing frost or a frost yet.”
There is, however, more noticeable leaf drop this year, which she attributed to stress from the lack of rain this past summer.
According to the foliage report at MaineFoliage.com, western Maine regions from Moosehead Lake to Rangeley, Bethel and Fryeburg, and Kennebec, Piscataquis, Penobscot and northern Washington counties this week have low leaf color, from 10 to 30 percent toward peak. Leaf drop is less than 10 percent. Color in far southern Maine and along the coast is very low, less than 10 percent toward peak.
In northern Maine, foliage was at moderate leaf color, from 30 to 50 percent toward peak, with leaf drop at less than 30 percent, according to the foliage report. Moderate color and low leaf drop can be seen from Bangor to Millinocket and east to Grand Lake on the New Brunswick, Canada, border.
Maine foliage conditions are updated each Wednesday through Oct. 13 on www.mainefoliage.com/.
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- Lawyer David Austin walks across Congress Street in downtown Rumford on Thursday, where ash trees revealed their brilliant fall color on the first day of autumn.
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- Fall foliage color is seen on Morrison Hill in Carthage on Thursday, the first day of autumn.
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- Leaves are beginning to turn to fall colors, like these maple leaves in a bog on the side of Turner Center Road in Turner on Thursday.
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