Wait, Is Fall Already Here? Minnesota Trees Are Turning Red

I felt the first hints of fall this last weekend while up at the lake. Saturday morning, I woke up to temperatures in the 50s, and it was the first cool breeze I'd felt in about a month. Then I looked up at our maple tree and saw the leaves were already turning red. The middle of August is a little early, isn't it?

Then I realized that it has to do with the fact that we've had so little rain. The ongoing drought causes stress on the trees, and that means they can change color sooner. Maple trees are the first to change every season, but it's usually after Labor Day. Mid-August is earlier than normal. The color changes weren't widespread, but there were enough bright red and orange leaves at the treetops to be noticeable.

Minnesota DNR

Unfortunately, this probably means that our fall colors aren't going to be quite as brilliant as in typical years. The drought stresses the trees, and they pull back their chlorophyll to conserve water. This causes the colors to change sooner and not be as vibrant. Plus, drier leaves aren't as strong, and fall quicker. Even just a day or two of strong winds can blow the leaves off the trees.

So this coming autumn, when you see fall colors, get out and enjoy them because odds are they won't be sticking around for very long.  We do have some rain in the forecast, but not enough to make much of a difference with our current drought.