FALL COLOR SOON TO ARRIVE IN ALL ITS GLORY,
DESPITE AN UNSEASONABLY COOL SUMMER
Weekly fall color updates will begin September 30 at ohiodnr.com
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Lake Logan |
COLUMBUS, OH Vivid fall colors will soon paint Ohio’s woodlands and fields, despite the summer’s unseasonably cool weather, say state foresters with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
“While the recent cool temperatures fooled a few northern Ohio maple and dogwood trees and some Virginia creeper vines into turning red prematurely, the vast majority of the state’s trees will begin their color change around October 1 as they usually do,” said Bill Schultz, fall color expert with the ODNR Division of Forestry.
To help Ohioans better plan their fall viewing road trips and other seasonal outings, ODNR will begin issuing weekly fall color updates on September 30.
The weekly fall color forecast is available by calling the state's travel and tourism hotline at 1-800-BUCKEYE. It offers on-the-spot reports from state parks, forests and nature preserves throughout Ohio, helping fall color lovers identify the best locations for peak viewing.
Internet users can access fall color information on the ODNR web site at ohiodnr.com. The site allows viewers to watch time-lapsed video of last year's fall color season. Photos showing the progress of autumn across Ohio this year will also be posted on the web site on a weekly basis. The site also recommends the best driving routes to see fall color, the best hiking and biking trails, as well as the best places to take fall color pictures.
Fall color comes to northern Ohio in late September and progresses southward. By mid October, most of the state should be in peak color conditions. Ohio sits in the middle of the Northern hardwood species range and is also on the edges of Appalachian and Southern species areas. Because of this geographic location, well over 100 different tree species grow in the state, creating a broad spectrum of fall color that includes yellow, red, orange, purple, dark russet and just about every shade in between.