Weather conditions are signaling fall in the Badger State. But there is still plenty of time to enjoy colorama here. The majority of Wisconsin counties are in the 40-to-60-percent range and are reporting they will reach peak color later this month on the Department of Tourism's Fall Color Report.
Counties in central and southern Wisconsin, such as Portage, Waupaca, Richland, Columbia, and Washington Counties, are reporting they’ve already reached peak color earlier than usual. Buffalo, Green Lake, Waukesha, and Green counties report less than 25 percent of their trees have changed color.
Forecasting when leaves will change color and how long colorama will last is an inexact science.
“When a region sees a lot of rain and wind, autumn leaves are likely to fall off of trees sooner than if the weather is sunny during daytime hours and cooler in the evening,” according to Virginia M. Mayo Black, a DNR Forestry Division communication specialist. “Warm days and cool evenings are the conditions that bring about the change in color. And that change is an indication a tree is preparing itself for winter.”
A single year’s weather conditions is only one factor affecting the changing of a tree’s leaf color.
“Drought, particularly long-term drought conditions, flooding, tree diseases, and physical injuries to trees caused by animals and humans are stress factors that can cause trees to change color and lose their leaves earlier than usual,” Mayo Black said. “Reports from DNR staff at the state forests and state parks and local chambers of commerce have indicated colorama in most areas of the state is pretty much following the usual north-to-south progression.”
Because of increasing rainfall throughout the state, current fire conditions in Wisconsin are reported as being low, according to information on Forestry’s Current Fire Danger Web page. “But the effects of long-term drought conditions such as Wisconsin has experienced for a number of years aren’t completely mitigated by recent rainfall.
“Everyone walking in any wooded area needs to do their part to protect the valuable resource that is Wisconsin’s forests,” Mayo Black said. “Until snow is on the ground, there is always some level of wildfire danger. There is also a danger of carrying out seeds invasive plants on shoes and clothing. The publication of Wisconsin’s forestry, recreational forest user, and urban forestry Best Management Practices are a timely reminder of the role we all play in preventing the spread of invasive plants and insects.”
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