TORONTO — Canadians should have ideal viewing weather in October to take in the splendour of the changing colours of the leaves, says the country’s leading climatologist.
Environment Canada’s David Phillips says warm days and cool crisp nights are ahead for people who want to snap pictures or just take in a feast for the eyes.
“We’re seeing probably ideal conditions for the colour change season from a weather viewing perspective, warmer and drier than normal,” he said.
The richest hues are always in Central and Atlantic Canada, where sugar maple leaves turn apricot orange and deep red, offset by the brilliant yellow leaves of birch, beech and poplar trees.
The change in the foliage in fall in western Canada is pretty but less dramatic, with cottonwoods and aspens turning the landscape yellow.
“In central Canada, in Ontario and Quebec, it’s really a gem in terms of the brilliant colours,” Phillips said.
“Certainly eastern Canada will be ablaze in colour during October and the weather looks like it will co-operate to view that marvel.”
Slightly warmer and drier weather will stretch from Saskatchewan through most of the Maritimes. Alberta will see near normal temperatures while B.C., the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Newfoundland will be slightly cooler.
The tree canopy in the northern parts of Ontario, such as Sault Ste. Marie, is already starting to put on a glorious show, displaying vibrant shades of crimson, orange and yellow interspersed with green.
Only a few trees in southern Ontario have begun to change colour. It will be mid to late October before the colour change season is in full bloom in the south.
“There are a couple of things you look at for the quality and brilliance of a colour change season,” said Phillips.
“Are the trees healthy, and not stressed out so they can put their beautiful technicolour coat on and give us that splendour,” he said.
The most vibrant hues in the country are usually in the lower Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence, where this summer it was the 12th wettest in 64 years with 11 per cent more rain than normal, said Phillips.
Trees like that, he said.
It was also the seventh warmest summer in 64 years in the region, an average of 1.5 degrees warmer than normal. While the area sweltered through a torrid heat wave in July, it didn’t last long enough to stress trees, Phillips said.
But get out and enjoy the fall colours when they come because they don’t last long, with many trees stripped of their leaves by the end of October, he said.
Fall weather can also be fickle, Phillips warned. A frost, snow or a remnant of a tropical storm can end the season too swiftly.
“So you can’t procrastinate too much,” he said.
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