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Fall Leaves — A maple tree along Skibo Road in Lower Saucon Township is tinged with orange, less than a week after the start of fall.

Before the summer of 2020 had officially ended, fall temperatures had already arrived, but they were merely a taste of things to come according to area weather forecasters.

Record lows in the low to mid 30s were set at the airport in Allentown last weekend, and temperatures well below freezing–and well below normal for this time of year–are again possible by the first week in October, according to Pennsylvania Weather Action.

One benefit of the colder-than-average temperatures has been an early start to the state’s colorful annual fall foliage spectacle. Trees throughout east central and northeast Pennsylvania are already displaying autumnal splotches of red, orange and yellow leaves, about a week ahead of schedule, PWA lead forecaster Josh Adams reported Saturday.

Areas across the state’s northern tier counties are already approaching peak color, while in the Lehigh Valley Adams said we can expect to see peak colors in two to three weeks.

Currently, about 25 percent of the tree species in east central Pennsylvania are displaying changing colors, Adams wrote in his first Pennsylvania Fall Foliage Report of the season.

For those yearning for a return to summer, temperatures over the next few days will be above normal, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. The warmth will not last long, however, as by Friday highs will only reach the mid 60s, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast for Hellertown.

Be sure to enjoy the fall foliage while you can, as state environmental officials are predicting that this year’s display may be the most colorful in years.