Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Most of the prognosticators are saying two pretty consistent things about this year’s fall leaf color season: fall is coming early to the mountains, and the autumn colors will be bland.
From what we can see, the first item is on target. Fall will arrive early. The leaves are already starting to change. Many are already dropping. The second issue – predicting the vibrancy of the colors – can be anybody’s guess.
For local tourism officials always seeking to put the best spin on an unpredictable fall color season, the buzz word this year is “microclimates.” As in: “There are so many different microclimates in the mountains that you’re sure to see some incredible fall leaves this year. So bring your heines, and your tourist dollars, to our town!”
Here’s an example, from a News & Observer story about the fall leaf season:
Even in drought-stricken areas you should find some good color. North Carolina’s mountains are famous for their microclimates. In the Asheville area, for instance, average annual precipitation is 37 inches. Yet 50 miles south of Asheville, in the state’s southwestern mountains, average rainfall exceeds 90 inches.
You can even find pockets of color within drought-stricken areas. “The color is going to be better in coves and along streams,” says Walker, a biology professor at Appalachian State University in Boone.
Dry ridges, south-facing slopes and higher elevations are good bets, too.
It’s the same buzz word those in the weather-guessing business, another equally unpredictable game, like to use. As in: “We really blew that forecast yesterday because the mountains are full of microclimates. So we actually called it right in this little cove.”
USA Today quoted Marla Tambelli to the same effect:
And if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate?
“There are so many micro-climates in the mountains that there may still be pockets of great color,” says Marla Tambellini of the Asheville (N.C.) Convention & Visitors Bureau. What’s more, hotel sales in October — which vies with July as the city’s busiest month — have increased steadily over the past six years.
“Most visitors don’t have a color scale or grade in their minds,” she says. “They’re coming to enjoy the outdoors.”
Anyway, links to help you find your way:
Asheville Convention & Vistor’s Bureau, where there’s even a new color hunter’s blog.
The N.C. Division of Tourism will post it’s leaf peepers reports starting Sept. 26.
Ray’s Weather has great weather information for the mountains.
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s fall foliage report starting late September.
Weather.com’s fall foliage map
Great Smoky Mountains National Park web cam from Look Rock and from Purchase Knob
RomanticAsheville.com has its forecast.
