Autumn Colours A Good Year Maybe?

[damianslaw]

Recent Autumns have brought very good autumn colours thanks to lack of heavy storms during September and October, do others think the same will happen this year...

The wet and windy start to autumn forecast doesn't bode well for autumn colour I feel, I don't think we will see as good a colour this year, thanks to a generally much more disturbed autumn stripping the trees bare quickly, we really need a prolonged dry spell to occur soon.

[James M]

Is this current dry spell good for autumn colours? what conditions are needed to bring out the colour?

[Terminal Moraine]

Is this current dry spell good for autumn colours? what conditions are needed to bring out the colour?

Yes it is James. As the length of daylight hours shorten, photosynthesis in the leaves slows down and eventually stops and the green chlorophyll fades to reveal the yellows and browns of waste material accumulated during the summer.

A combination of sunlight and cool nights turns the glucose in some leaves red, orange and purple so spells of high pressure in September and October, with sunny days and cold nights, are the perfect recipe for a good show of autumn colour.

In addition the winds tend to be lighter during spells of high pressure so the leaves remain longer on the trees for these changes to occur.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Was by a lake first thing on Friday morning. Beautiful setting. A slight morning mist hovering on the water, and the leaves starting to turn on the trees.

Still, its quite a slow and gradual process, but its starting to look good.

If high pressure hangs around, as TM notes, it could mean that the leaves stay on the trees for long enough to produce a gorgeous autumn view.

[James M]

Ah I see, I hope it sticks around then and maybe get rid of some of this cloud, I'm hopeful of some good photo opportunities.

[damianslaw]

How fortunes are changing some what from my first post on this subject matter - good news is this protracted dry spell, hopefully we can hold on to it a while longer, with colder nights on the way, some great colour display could unfold during October - fingers crossed, apart from when covered in snow, the lake district under autumn splendour can't look much better in my eyes - last 2 weeks of October usually the best time to see it.

[Northernlights]

A wonderful display of trees now in their autumn colours in this area with particular reference to the ash trees which seem to have all become shades of yellow. This seems to be much earlier than normal as ash trees are normally the last to lose their leaves and can often remain green until November.

[Methuselah]

Delightful colouration on the trees along the Ness...

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Well, I've got to spend the day doing a landscape character assessment around Penrith which means, I'm going to have to nip down to the north bit of Ullswater on this lovely sunny day.

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

[James M]

Some nice colours coming through here too, especially some Rowans I've noticed, they've turned a deep red.

[James M]

Been for a short walk today, definately a good year, nearly all trees are coming along now. Beeches are a nice orange this year, bright yellow maples too (I think Field Maple?), all the different varieties of cherry tree are bright oranges and reds too.

[multi cellular thunderstorm]

How's it looking in Scotland now? I'm on holiday around Pitlochry next week and i'm hoping I haven't missed the colours.

Whatever leaves are left will probably take a battering in the next 10 days or so, looks unsettled, wet and windy at times.

Just what I need for my photos

[damianslaw]

I say I hope everyone has made the most of this dry mild spell as by this weekend unfortunately many of the trees are going to see some major leaf fall and with a continuation of windy conditions next week, it won't be long until most are stripped bare.

I have not appreciated them as much as in others years, I'm not sure why, because it has been a good display and we have had plenty of dry weather.. I put it down to the fact that I no longer commute any distance to work and where once I had much countryside to look at every day to and fro work and therefore time to see the colours change on a day by day basis, I now only really see the countryside at the weekends and therefore less time to appreciate them. I do have some trees to look at from my window and these are at a rapid rate of loss of leaves one or two are stripped bare.. I can now see some of the hills in the distance that were obscured during leaf cover which is a now bonus though.

[SP1986]

Trees basically have leaves falling off whilst green so no good colour here I'm afraid, even the Rowans lack green. Birch and Beech are still green and fully crowned like in summer too, any reason for this?