Dusty orange leaves crunch underfoot against the sidewalk, and the rich scent of wet leaves is carried in the cool crisp air when curtains of rain sprinkle the streets.
Fall is here, but the most vibrant markings of the season have yet to arrive in full.
Consider the red and orange sparks among trees in recent weeks just an appetizer. This fall, Western Washington is in for a more vibrant and longer-lasting foliage than normal, according to AccuWeather.
An upcoming stint of warmer and drier weather, unbothered by tree-shaking fall storms, will make the next week and a half the best window for foliage viewing, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist and long-range weather expert Chad Merrill.
So wrestle the kids into the car, charge your camera batteries, pull over your favorite knit sweater, think of a good Instagram caption and chuck that pumpkin spice latte in a thermos, or perform whatever ritual that’ll enhance your foliage-viewing experience and get out there — it’s time to see some leaves.
Leaves soak up energy from the sun in the spring and summer that helps the tree grow. Come fall, the trees build a protective seal between each leaf and its connecting branch. Those seals trap nutrients like sugar inside the leaves, making the trees glow with warm colors.
But under dry and warm conditions, like during a drought, the trees get stressed out and shut down faster. Nutrients and water won’t get to the leaves, making them dull in color and crumble off the tree.
So if you’re on the east side of the Cascades, fall might look a little dull, thanks but no thanks to the moderate to severe drought conditions that have come back to haunt the region for the fourth year in a row.
But just know that the colors aren’t spread around the canvas of Washington state evenly.
Though it may not seem like the west side of the Cascades was just dancing in the sprinklers all summer, drought conditions have been much less severe in Western Washington, Merrill said. Areas from Seattle west are set at below-moderate drought conditions.
Seattle has been in a dry spell. But the Emerald city has been getting more rain this summer than in recent years, enough to turn leaves gold and bronze. The summer’s cumulative rainfall was below average, but it did total 2.32 inches, Merrill said, which is better than last year’s 1.5 inches and most comparable to the 2.9 inches of 2022.
Don’t despair if you’re on the east side of the state, though, and rejoice a little extra if you’re on the west side: a “typical El Niño-ish” weather pattern compliments of tropical activity in the West Pacific will kick in next week, ushering in 10 to 11 days of refuge from fall storms across the state, Merrill said.
That means there’s less wind to rustle the leaves from the trees, and whatever colors paint the trees around you will stick around longer than they normally would.
Now, the Cascades would be at the top of your list for leaf-gazing sites, but be mindful of the area you’re visiting because the dichotomy of foliage can be seen splitting the mountain range hot dog-style.
Mirroring the conditions further west, the western slopes of the Cascades will see more patches of color, Merrill said, while the eastern slopes will have more patches of bare trees after windstorms that fueled wildfires on the east side of the state knocked leaves from the trees.
Expect peak foliage to hit the Cascades around the middle of October and the Interstate 5 corridor toward the end of October into early November, Merrill said.
But the weather might be slipping into the Halloween spirit by then, turning moody with rain and wind in the second half of the month, so Merrill suggested taking a spin over to the Olympic Mountain or Mount Baker while the weather is calm.
If you’re a “Larch Madness” fanatic and want to immerse yourself in the magical golden shades of larch trees, head to the eastern slopes of the North Cascades.
Any fall colors are good fall colors, no matter where you are.
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