As summer gives way to autumn, many are eyeing the October calendar to pick the best weekend to view fall colors. Virginia Tech tree physiology specialist John Seiler says the lack of rainfall since the beginning of August has the potential to hurt chances for better than average color this fall.
“There’s still time,” says Seiler. “We really need some rainfall in the next two weeks in order to enhance our most vivid colors. Recent rain in western and southwestern Virginia has helped, but we certainly need more.”
Seiler says predicting fall color peak dates is an inexact science.
“It’s impossible to plug in temperatures, rainfall, and tree species and get a time for peak viewing,” says Seiler. “Dry weather in August and September has the effect of desynchronizing the process. That’s the reason many already see trees turning yellow and losing their leaves early.”
Length of daylight is also key to enhancing the most vivid splashes of reds and yellows.
Virginia forests offer a greater mix of trees, compared to other areas of the country, leading to a wider diversity of color once the leaves do begin to turn. For this year, Seiler projects a possible peak weekend of October 22 and 23, but warns that can vary by as much as seven days, plus or minus, depending on a variety of conditions.
John Seiler Professor Seiler specializes in environmental stress effects on woody plant physiology, including water and pollutant stresses. He is quoted regularly in broadcast and print publications due to his expertise in tree physiology. Seiler is the Honorable and Mrs. Shelton H. Short Professor of Forestry at Virginia Tech, and was named an Alumni Distinguished Professor in recognition of his extraordinary academic citizenship and distinguished service within the Virginia Tech community.
To secure a live or recorded video interview with John Seiler from the Virginia Tech campus, contact Bill Foy in the Media Relations office at 540-231-8719 or 540-998-0288.
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