Dry heat during the daytime and cooler temperatures at night have tricked some trees into thinking that fall is already here. Some of this early fall foliage was visible along Polk Valley Road in Lower Saucon Township over the weekend.
Recent temperatures have been undeniably “summer-like” and according to the calendar it’s late August, but the view out your window might look more like a September scene.
Although the summer of the 2022 will no doubt be remembered for lots of great beach days, with a precipitation deficit of nearly six inches since July 1, plants and trees in the Lehigh Valley and upper Bucks County have been turning on their fall displays early.
In fact, some isolated color was already visible in late July.
Why do leaves change color early?
There are multiple reasons why fall foliage may appear earlier than it normally does, but one of the reasons is the stress that drought-like conditions put on trees. According to a July 2021 story published by MLive.com, drought stress and high temperature stress are both common causes of prematurely colorful autumn leaves.
According to National Weather Service temperature and precipitation data recorded at Lehigh Valley International Airport near Allentown, temperatures were 0.8 degrees above average in July, while precipitation was less than half of what it normally is.
July is typically one of the wetter months in eastern Pennsylvania, but July 2022 saw less than 2.5 inches of rain recorded at the airport. Historically, the average total is 5.3 inches.
Rain that was heavy at times finally fell across much of the area late Sunday into early Monday, but whether it represented the start of a moister meteorological trend remains to be seen.
So far this month, the average temperature has been 1.9 degrees above normal. And prior to Sunday, just .19 inches of rain had been measured at the airport, which is three inches less than normal.
Crimson leaves could be seen along the D&L trail in upper Bucks County.
Some trees along River Road (Rt. 32) in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, are changing color earlier than normal this year. Drought-like conditions and higher-than-normal temperatures are likely contributing to the early displays of color.
Splashes of color can be seen in some of the wooded areas of Lower Saucon Township, particularly those at higher elevations, where temperatures rountinely drop further at night than they do in Hellertown and other developed areas.
Above, the unusually lazy Delaware River could be seen through early fall foliage in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, on Sunday. Experts say the early fall color is indicative of stress on vegetation from dry, hot conditions.
Runners, walkers and cyclists are already getting used to the “crunch, crunch, crunch” sound of dead, fallen leaves under their feet, as many trees have begun to change color and drop their leaves early this year due to unusually dry conditions.
With water levels on the Delaware River much lower than normal and the temperature of the water unusually warm, the waterway has become a playground for residents of the area. Above, boaters, jet-skiers and tubers frolic in the low water near Kintnersville on Sunday afternoon. The low water level has exposed shorelines and islands that are normally inaccessible.
