Drought, heat could lead to less vibrant Fall

TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) – Trees across north Mississippi have begun changing colors weeks earlier than the typical mid-to-late October timeline.

Peak color across the Mid-South is usually found during the middle parts of November.

Warner Creekmore, with the Mississippi State University Ag Extension, said the early change is not a good sign for the fall foliage season.

“This year it could be early. I mean it could be a disappointment for those that enjoy Fall color like I do,” Creekmore said.

Heat and lack of rain stressing trees

Creekmore said the early color change is tied to a lack of rain and sustained heat.

“We haven’t had a rain in a month and a half, and the temperature is still in the 90s. It hasn’t cooled down, it hasn’t rained,” Creekmore said.

This past September was the second warmest on record in Tupelo.

Twenty-four of the 30 days were above average, with 19 of those days having temperatures above 95 degrees.

This is the sixth driest September of all time.

The Tupelo area typically receives more than three and a half inches of rain for the month, but only received three tenths of an inch this year.

The heat and lack of water are causing stress on the trees.

Many trees are having to shed their leaves prematurely because of the prolonged drought and heat wave of August and September.

Some trees have developed leaf scorch, where the outside of the leaves have turned brown and crunchy. Others have had twig dieback, where the ends of branches have dried out and died.

Smaller trees showing more damage

Because of the stress on the trees, fall colors may arrive earlier this year and may not be as vibrant as usual. Rain and a cool down are expected this weekend.

“I would hope that we might have a little fall color, but that’s not going to change anything. The damage is already done in my opinion,” Creekmore said.

Portions of the southern Appalachians have also had a stretch of weather that has affected their fall colors.