Reports indicate it will be a strong year for foliage this autumn in Maine. Kathy Matthews, an associate professor of biology tells Jeff-foliage.com "This should be a pretty good year (for the eastern U.S.) for fall color, but colors will be spotty." Accuweather.com predicts impressive colors throughout the northeast, but warns that potential wet and warm weather at the end of September could negatively impact the vibrancy (ideal weather for a more colorful peak are dry days and cold nights). Jim Salge at Yankee magazine agrees that conditions are ripe for a strong autumn, and singles out red pigments as being especially strong.

Of course, your experience largely depends on making sure you get the timing right to take that perfect drive. To help with that, Maine.gov yesterday launched their fall foliage tracker. It gives daily updates on the percentage of trees, across seven regions, are experiencing fall color. So make sure to check the site before planning your leaf-peeping trip this autumn.

Photo by Pamela Tourangeau

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