Watch out New England — this year's fall colours in Toronto and surrounding areas are poised to be downright stunning thanks in part to the very things that made this past summer miserable: cooler temperatures and rain.
One of of the keys to amazing fall foliage is the health of trees heading into the period in which colours change. Last year's hot and dry summer, for instance, took its toll of leaf-cover across Southern Ontario, which at least somewhat muted fall displays.
Toronto hasn't had a particularly wet summer compared to yearly averages, but the city and surrounding area did experience timely rains for its greenery. With no droughts or long periods of intense heat, our trees are in great shape heading into fall.
This is half of the picture. The second part of the formula to create outstanding fall colours is warm and sunny days followed by cool (but not freezing) nights, which help to form red and purple pigments, which lead to the most saturated colours.
While long term forecasts are notoriously fickle, these ideal conditions are what climatologists are calling for as we approach fall.
“If you have been complaining about the summer, nature is going to make up for it by giving us a glorious fall," Environment Canada's David Phillips recently told CTV News.
If you're already excited about fall colours in Ontario, you can follow the foliage progress here.
by Lisa Power via blogTO
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