Published: September 20, 2009 11:53 pm      

Forest finery: Experts say fall colors may be spectacular

Tuesday marks the official end of summer and the start of autumn and is being billed as a banner year for viewing fall foliage.

The vivid yellows, burgundys and rusts should attract throngs of visitors to Pennsylvania’s mountains and valleys.

The 2007 fall season was delayed by hot temperatures into October and resulted in less than vibrant foliage. Things improved only slightly in the 2008 season.

This year’s wet spring and summer, which brought the dreaded tomato blight, should be ideal for tree color and a spectacular autumn foliage show.

“The reports from district forest people is that because of the abundant rainfall across the state and no large gypsy moth outbreaks, we have the potential for a really great season,” said Terry Brady, spokesman for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“This could be an out do of recent years when we had gypsy moth and drought especially along the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” he said.

Key will be the weather during the next few weeks with foliage watchers hopeful the current weather patterns hold out.

“We haven’t experienced a lot of drought stress and we need sunny days and cool nights,” said Michael Chapaloney, spokesman for the state Department of Community and Economic Development. “We’re looking for a great season.”

It is the cooler nights that convince the trees it’s time to change their leaf color and shed for winter.

Late September and much of October is prime time for tourists to head into Pennsylvania to marvel at nature’s annual performance. While the state attempts to monitor economic impact from the foliage, estimates are difficult because many come to Pennsylvania on day trips not spending the night, said Chapaloney.

“It’s certainly a key season for Pennsylvania. “We have more species of trees than they do in New England,” he said.

Statewide there is double the number of species than in states to the north and while New England may have more shades of red, Pennsylvania has a greater variety of trees and color providing a longer foliage season, he said.

Dave Planinsek of Laughlintown, a forester for the state Bureau of Forestry, said Pennsylvania continues to have an outstanding forest resource, one that continues to draw a lot of people for the fall show.

“It probably rivals any state in the Northeast,” he said.

Statewide projections call for the best foliage viewing in the Cambria-Somerset region during the first two weeks of October, but Planinsek is already seeing some color changes when he looks at the Laurel Highland mountainsides.

“I’m seeing some early fall color about,” he said. “I’ve been seeing black gum, a bright red which is one of the first to turn and as we speak red maples are turning into yellows, reds and oranges.”

Planinsek said it’s a little early for the red gum and red maples, but thinks they may be prematurely shedding their leaves because of the dry weeks the region had in August and early September.

But despite the few early changes, Planinsek thinks the season will be colorful.

“I think we’re in for a nice fall,” he said.