Spectacular peak colors are bursting as New York’s leaf-peeping season is in full swing. According to New York’s weekly fall foliage report, stunning seasonal hues are aplenty across New York state as peak foliage arrives in northern and central parts of the state in time for the long holiday weekend. Peak color is starting to fade, however, from the highest elevations in the Adirondacks and Catskills, where there is also significant leaf droppage. Much of the state’s seasonal hues range from the midpoint of change to nearly peak color transition.
So, what are the conditions across the state this week? Here’s the fifth report of the season from the state Department of Economic Development, broken out by region.
Hudson Valley fall foliage
Ulster County: Observers predict a 80% change in Kingston and New Paltz by the weekend, with red, yellow, gold and plum hues.
Columbia County: Spotters predict a 60% color change in Hudson by the weekend, with varying shades of yellow, orange and russet. Expect a 40% color change in Valatie, with a full mix of autumnal colors.
Westchester County: Expect a 45% color change in White Plains, with some vibrant shades of yellow and red.
Dutchess County: Spotters also predict a 35% color change in Beacon, with muted to average yellows and reds. Up to a 15% color change is predicted by the weekend in Poughkeepsie, with pockets of yellow, brown and orange.
Orange County: Spotters predict a 30% color transition in Westtown, and in West Point by the weekend, with some average to bright orange and yellow leaves and a few reds. In Newburgh, also expect a 30% color change, with mostly orange and red leaves. A 20% color change is also expected in parts of Cornwall, with a muted seasonal mix. Some trees have fully changed while others remain green, and few have turned brown and shed their foliage.
Rockland County: Expect a 20% change at Rockland Lake State Park in Valley Cottage, with an average to bright seasonal palette. A 10% color change is expected in Orangeburg, with some flashes of yellow and red.
Putnam County: By the weekend, spotters predict at least 15% color change in Cold Spring, with brilliant red, yellow and orange leaves. Roads surrounding the village are showing stronger displays, averaging 40% or more color change. The trails at Castle Rock State Park and Anthony’s Nose are particularly vibrant, boasting stunning color and sweeping views of the Hudson Valley.
New York City
A 20% color change is expected on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and a 15% change is predicted in Central Park. Look for an emerging mix of fall colors.
Long Island
Suffolk County: By the weekend, expect a 60% color change at Belmont Lake State Park in West Babylon, with near peak and peak yellow, orange, red and purple leaves on trees surrounding the lake; 40% and midpoint along the trails and 20% in the picnic areas. Spotters predict 20% change along the North Shore, with mostly yellow, red and brown leaves. A 20% transition at Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island is also expected by the weekend, with muted fall colors.
Nassau County: Spotters predict a 50% change on lakeside trees at Mill Pond Park in Wantagh, with near-peak yellow, orange and red leaves on trees surrounding the lake. A 25% change is expected at Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead, with swatches of crimson, rust and brown and some droppage. At Valley Stream State Park, a 20% change is predicted by the weekend, with muted shades of yellow and red. Also expect a 10% change in East Meadow, with yellow leaves beginning to appear, and a 5% change at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, with seasonal hues just starting to appear
Adirondacks fall foliage
Essex County: Spotters predict a full 100% color change on Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, muted shades of red, orange, yellow and gold, as well as a full color change on the area around the mountain, now past peak, with significant droppage. Expect nearly a full color change in Newcomb by the weekend, with muted earthy tones. In Lake Placid, expect more than a 95% color change by the weekend, with shades of red, gold and orange. Foliage is bright and brilliant in the village, average in the surrounding peaks. Spotters predict a 65% color transition in Crown Point, with rusty browns, golden yellows, oranges and occasional dark red leaves. In Ticonderoga, expect a 45% color transition, with muted to average yellow leaves and some touches of orange, plus muted brown tones.
Hamilton County: A full 100% color transition and past peak conditions are expected by the weekend in Benson, with mostly muted foliage accented by a few vibrant spots. Spotters also predict an full color change and past peak foliage by the weekend in Lake Pleasant, with gold, yellow, orange, rust, and some red leaves.
St. Lawrence County: A 100% color transition and past peak conditions are expected by the weekend in Wanakena with a seasonal mix of color.
Herkimer County: Spotters predict a 100% color change and past peak conditions in Long Lake, with mostly muted colors and bare trees, plus a few bright pops. In Old Forge, transition is prediected to be around 75%, with some brilliant reds, oranges and golds, and significant leaf droppage.
Franklin County: In Saranac Lake, a 95% color change is predicted by the weekend, with muted reds and a mix of orange and yellow. A 90% color change and just-past-peak is predicted by the weekend in Tupper Lake and Mt. Arab, with cinnamon, copper, honey, dandelion, pumpkin, saffron, magenta, cranberry and vermillion hues. There is also a more than 70% color change predicted for the weekend in Malone, with bright orange and red leaves, plus some yellow.
Warren County: Observers predict a 75% color change by the weekend in Queensbury, with bright red and yellow leaves. In Lake George, expect a 35% color transition, with bright yellow and orange leaves.
Clinton County: Observers predict a 60% change in Plattsburgh with bright shades of red and yellow.
Capital-Saratoga fall foliage
Rensselear County: Spotters predict a 85% change in East Nassau, with bright yellows and muted oranges. Expect a 60% color change in Troy, with bright yellows highlighting the average shades of red and orange.
Saratoga County: Expect an 80% change in Saratoga Springs by the weekend, with average to bright autumnal shades and significant droppage.
Fulton County: A 75% change in Stratford is predicted by the weekend, with average to bright yellow and orange leaves, a few pockets of red, and significant droppage. Spotters also predict a 50% color change is predicted by the weekend at Great Sacandaga Lake in Northville, with gold and orange leaves and some pops of red.
Schenectady County: Expect a 60% color change by the weekend in Rotterdam, with muted to average shades of yellow, gold and orange. The county’s higher elevations have the most foliage change. Spotters also predict a 35% change in Central Park in Schenectady, with muted to average yellow, gold and rust leaves, plus wisps of orange and red on treetops.
Albany County: In Voorheeseville, observers predict up to a 55% color change at Thacher State Park, with mostly muted yellow and orange leaves, plus some reds and browns, and significant droppage. Spotters also predict a 50% change with muted maroon leaves in Cohoes at Cohoes Falls.
Catskills fall foliage
Delaware County: In Dehli, expect a full 100% color transition and just-past-peak conditions by the weekend, with mostly bright shades of gold. Spotters also predict a full color change and past peak conditions in Colchester, with very bright orange, red and yellow leaves and significant droppage.
Greene County: Observers predict up to a full 100% color transition in the upper elevations of Hunter and Windham, with orange, yellow and brown leaves. Some pockets of good color remain. In East Durham, expect an 80% color transition by the weekend, with yellow and orange tones, accented by occasional bursts of red. An 80% color change is also predicted in Round Top, with waves of yellow and orange foliage and random pops of crimson and red. Expect a 50% color change in Coxsackie, with yellows and oranges.
Sullivan County: Spotters predict a 75% change in Liberty, with very brilliant golden, orange and red tones dominating the hillsides, while lower elevations still show hints of yellow. By the weekend a 70% color change in Forestburgh is expected, with muted to average orange and yellow hues, and some bright red splashes.
Central New York fall foliage
Chenango County: Observers predict more than a 90% color change and peak foliage in Bainbridge, Norwich and Guilford by the weekend, with bright orange and yellow leaves and wisps of purple.
Otsego County: Expect up to a 65% color change by the weekend in Cooperstown and in Cherry Valley, with red, orange and brown leaves.
Oneida County: Spotters predict a 60% color change by the weekend in Utica, with muted to average shades of yellow, and some orange and brown.
Madison County: Expect a 60% color transition in Cazenovia by the weekend, with mostly yellow and orange leaves, and some brilliant shades of red.
Herkimer County: By the weekend, a 50% color change in Herkimer is predicted, with average to bright orange and yellow leaves.
Broome County: Spotters predict a 50% change by the weekend in Binghamton, with a bright mix of seasonal colors.
Schoharie County: By the weekend, observers expect a 50% color change in Middleburgh with shades of orange and yellow. In Gilboa, a 15% color change is predicted, with splashes of average to bright yellow and red leaves.
Montgomery County: Spotters predict 25% color change in Fonda by the weekend, with bright autumnal hues.
Finger Lakes fall foliage
Steuben County: Spotters predict 70% color change by the weekend in Bath, Corning, Hammondsport and Hornell, with bright autumnal colors.
Schuyler County: Expect a 65% color transition by the weekend in Watkins Glen, with muted shades of red, orange and brown.
Tioga County: In Owego, Candor and Newark Valley expect a 60% foliage change by the weekend, with mostly muted orange, yellow and brown leaves.
Chemung County: Spotters predict up to a 60% color change in Elmira, with muted to average orange, yellow and brown leaves.
Livingston County: By the weekend, expect a 60% color change at Letchworth State Park near Mt. Morris, with slightly muted to average shades of yellow and orange and some pockets of red. Many leaves have dropped from the park’s northern hardwoods. Observers predict a 40% of color change in Geneseo by the weekend, with touches of muted yellow and red leaves.
Cayuga County: In Auburn, expect a 55% change, with muted shades of yellow, plus some red and purple leaves.
Ontario County: Expect a 50% transition in Canandaigua by the weekend, with bright seasonal colors. In Nearby in Farmington, a 40% color change is predicted by the weekend with shades of yellow and orange, plus some burgundy.
Tompkins County: Spotters predict a 50% change in Ithaca and Trumansburg, with a full mix of fall colors.
Yates County: By the weekend, spotters predict a 50% change in Penn Yan, with muted to average shades of yellow of brown, plus some pops of red.
Cortland County: Spotters predict more than a 50% color change in Cortland with average to bright orange and red leaves and some just-emerging bright yellows.
Wayne County: Expect a 45% change in Lyons with yellow leaves, plus some shades of red.
Seneca County: In Seneca Falls, expect a 40% change by the weekend, with yellow leaves accompanied by emerging red and orange hues. Observers also predict a 30% color change in Waterloo, with bright gold, yellow, purple and red leaves
Onondaga County: A 40% color change is predicted by the weekend at Beaver Lake in Baldwinsville by the weekend, with average to bright reds and oranges.
Monroe County: Spotters predict a 30% color change by the weekend in Rochester, with increasing yellow along with some red, orange and rust-colored leaves slowly appearing, and some droppage.
Chautauqua-Allegheny
Cattauragus County: Spotters predict an 95% color change and past peak foliage in Little Valley by the weekend, with muted brown and yellow leaves and significant droppage. A 65% color transition is expected at Allegany State Park in Salamanca, maples showing some bright tones of yellow and red.
Chautauqua County: Observers predict a 65% color transition in Chautauqua, with bright to brilliant seasonal shades.
Greater Niagara fall foliage
Erie County: Expect a 70% color change by the weekend in East Aurora, with mostly red and orange hues. Spotters also predict a 35% color change in Buffalo, with leaves of golden yellow, plum, rust and shades of red.
Niagara County: Observers predict a 60% color change by the weekend in Lewiston, with green, brown and yellow leaves. In Niagara Falls, expect a 50% color change, with a full mix of fall colors.
Genesee County: In Batavia, expect a 60% color transition by the weekend, with orange and red leaves.
Wyoming County: Spotters predict a 55% color transition at Letchworth State Park in Warsaw, with a mix of vibrant reds and oranges and 50% change in the Castile portion of the park, with slightly muted to average shades of yellow and orange and some pockets of red.
Orleans County: Spotters predict a 15% change in Albion, with average to bright seasonal colors.
Thousand Islands-Seaway
Jefferson County: Observers predict a full 100% color change in Alexandria Bay, with a full range of fall colors.
St. Lawrence County: Spotters predict a 90% change in Massena, with a mix of fall colors.
Oswego County: A 60% color change is predicted by the weekend in Williamstown and the northeastern portion of the county, with red, orange and purple leaves. Oswego expects a 50% color transition by the weekend, with muted red and orange leaves coloring the tree line.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Peak fall foliage bursts across NY, Hudson Valley just in time for Columbus Day weekend
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
