Len Philpot
Well-Known Member
Down here in the deepest of the US Deep South we don't generally get too much fall / autumn color. What we get peaks in mid November and is gone within ~three weeks or so. That is, if the leaves don't turn brown and fall (or get blown) off first. Then it's our typiocally-not-arctic-cold winter, which is grey and wet for the most part. Although for a few years now we've dropped to around 15F / -9C some nights. That's cool in my book.
Two years ago we had an extremely hot summer (highs of 107F / 41C to 110F / 43C) with no appreciable rain for three months or so. River and streams ran low, lakes dried up and it was pretty miserable. Unexpectedly however, after a little rain started in late October we had the best fall color I recall, ever, with some colorful leaves still visible in January.
Last year the summer wasn't unusually hot, just the usual 95F / 35C to 100F / 38C highs with miserable high humidity and more plentiful rainfall all year (over 100 in. / 25cm annually, as I recall). Fall color? Nah... none. Zilch, nada. A bust.
Go figure.
So this year we're getting a little color just lately, and I have no idea if this is the last gasp or if it'll take off. Hopefully the latter, since fall is about the only time my area is worth shooting.
That said, here are a few from yesterday and today. Both were intended to be recon outings, but I ended up shooting a bit. The actual foliage color isn't quite as vivid as in the images, but in all cases the warm late afternoon sun really lit up the color and made it temporarily vibrant.
Two years ago we had an extremely hot summer (highs of 107F / 41C to 110F / 43C) with no appreciable rain for three months or so. River and streams ran low, lakes dried up and it was pretty miserable. Unexpectedly however, after a little rain started in late October we had the best fall color I recall, ever, with some colorful leaves still visible in January.
Last year the summer wasn't unusually hot, just the usual 95F / 35C to 100F / 38C highs with miserable high humidity and more plentiful rainfall all year (over 100 in. / 25cm annually, as I recall). Fall color? Nah... none. Zilch, nada. A bust.
Go figure.
So this year we're getting a little color just lately, and I have no idea if this is the last gasp or if it'll take off. Hopefully the latter, since fall is about the only time my area is worth shooting.
That said, here are a few from yesterday and today. Both were intended to be recon outings, but I ended up shooting a bit. The actual foliage color isn't quite as vivid as in the images, but in all cases the warm late afternoon sun really lit up the color and made it temporarily vibrant.
