Monday, September 22, 2008: This year is turning out to be very different from where we were last year. A year ago we had seen a very hot and dry month of August. Temperatures were regularly in the upper 90s and the drought continued to deepen. This year, August and most of September have been much milder and we have had a little more rain than last year. However, even the welcome rains from tropical storm Faye have not been enough to raise the level in our lakes nor restore soil moisture, raise water tables, and increase stream flows. The drought and resulting stress on trees will likely be the single most important factor affecting the quality of the fall color this year.

With that said, the recent cooler temperatures are beginning to cause some trees in the higher elevations of Georgia to start turning color. Even at lower elevations, the early turning yellow poplars, red maples, and black gums are beginning to show some color. This seems it may be a little earlier that average. As usual though, watch for the first good cold snap. Color will really start to develop within 2 or 3 days.

Be sure to take a pair of binoculars and your camera with extra batteries and as much memory as you can. Feel free to and we will post them in our online photo gallery.

• Estimated percentage of current fall foliage: None, unless you consider green a very early fall color.

• Recommended viewing routes:
  • Russell-Brasstown National Scenic Byway
  • Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway
  • From Cleveland, GA take State Highway 129 north. Turn left onto State Highway 180 just past Vogel State Park. Continue on 180 to State Highway 60. Turn left onto Highway 60 to Dahlonega. An alternate is to turn right on Highway 60 and head to Blue Ridge.
  • In the west side of the Chattahooche, the Armuchee Ridges are best seen driving along Highway 136 between I-75 and LaFayette. Color is peaking this week at Lake Conasauga (elevation 3,140) and Grassy Mountain (elevation 3,692).
    
    
• Peak viewing period: October 15 through October 31.
  
• Viewing tips/suggestions: Temperatures in the mountains will be cool until later in the afternoon and it is often windier in the mountains than in the foothills. Take a sweater, jacket, and hat.
  
  Check the weather forecast in these towns across north Georgia:
  Blairsville, GA
  Blue Ridge, GA
  Chatsworth, GA
  Clarkesville, GA
  Clayton, GA
  Eatonton, GA
  La Fayette, GA

If you would like fall color information for other parts of the country, call the Forest Services national fall color hotline at 1-800-354-4595 or visit their web page. You can monitor fall foliage by visiting the Fall Color WebCam page maintained by the WeatherMatrix.

Through the fall color season, this web page offers current information about the progress of the changing fall colors across north Georgia. We update the information here once a week with reports from our team of observers across north Georgia. If you like, take a look at A Fall Tour of the Russell/Brasstown National Scenic Byway. It will give you a pretty good idea of what a typical fall color season in the southern Appalachians is like. These pictures of the area were taken Monday, October 26, 1998.