This is the second of a three-part series on Fall foliage in New England. Today, I take a look at the peak viewing times for Autumn’s colorful splendor. The next installment looks at the best locations and driving routes to see the foliage in Connecticut and southern New England.
A sure sign that Autumn is on the way greets me every morning on my way to work. The constellation Orion the Hunter, which is perhaps the most prominent feature of the Winter night sky in the Northern Hemisphere, can be seen in the Southeast very early in the morning. That means, of course, that the beauty of Autumn in New England is just a few weeks away.
The Fall foliage season in New England runs from the end of September in Northern New England through the end of October in Southern New England. It is impossible to predict the exact time of the peak colors, but in general, the peak across central and southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and northern and western Maine is during the latter part of the first week of October.
By the middle of October peak viewing has moved to western Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut. Actually, in the Northwest corner of Connecticut, near Canaan, Kent Falls, and Sharon, the colors can be seen by the start of the second week of October. Even though some areas may not be at peak as you pass through, there will still be plenty of color to see by then.
However, the best time to see Autumn’s colors in extreme northwestern Connecticut in the Litchfield hills runs from about October 12 through the 16th. Central Connecticut and extreme Northern Fairfield and New Haven counties — including the towns of Redding, New Canaan, Wilton, and Woodbridge — can see the radiant colors between October 17th and the 20th.
As for southwestern Connecticut, the best time for viewing the Fall foliage in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Milford is generally from October 21through October 25. By the weekend of October 28, though, all but extreme southeastern New England will be past peak. The colors — and many of the leaves themselves — are all but gone by then.
One of the best sources for information on New England’s Fall foliage is the Yankee Foliage Web site. It features an animated map with a calendar showing the optimum viewing dates throughout the Northeast. The site has a calendar of events, suggestions for scenic drives, a foliage forecast, a foliage blog, and foliage forums. Just click on the link, and you’ll have all the information you need.
Once the colors become radiant in our corner of Connecticut, I’d appreciate your Fall foliage digital photos. I’m hoping to put together a slide show featuring some of the best pictures of Autumn’s colors courtesy of our viewers. I’d like to get some great photos from every community across southwestern Connecticut. Obviously, I’ll have my camera ready, too!
Paul
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