AUGUSTA – Peak foliage color has reached southernmost Maine and all coastal locations, according to the fifth 2012 Fall Foliage Report from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Currently, Maine Forest Service and state park rangers are reporting peak, or at least 75 percent, color change in southern regions from Augusta to Monmouth, Auburn, Norway, Bridgton, Sebago Lake and Sanford.
Rangers are reporting near peak or peak color change in all coastal communities from Kittery to Portland, Camden, Bar Harbor and Lubec. Leaf drop is currently low, or 10-30 percent, in these regions, according to the report.
Peak color is being reported for a second straight week in the western tracking zone covering Bethel, Rangeley, Carrabassett Valley, Grafton Notch State Park and Mt. Blue State Park, as well as the central tracking zone, which includes Dover-Foxcroft, Newport and Bangor.
Peak color is also holding on in the northeastern zone covering Houlton, Millinocket, the Lincoln Lakes region and Route 9 to Calais, according to the report. Rangers are observing moderate leaf drop in the region.
Rangers in Aroostook County and northwestern locations, including Moosehead Lake, Jackman and Stratton are reporting that leaf color has begun to turn past peak, and leaf drop is moderate.
Overnight temperatures in the 40s and the continued decrease in daylight will spark the gradual change in leaf color from north to south through late October, according to the report.
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