2017 Fall Color Thread

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Brad
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2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

There are a lot of fall colors already showing up in our area. Seeing trees and sumac all over town starting to turn a little. Wednesday I drove out to the Hastings, NE area and back and saw signs of fall color almost the whole way. While we are still a long ways from prime fall colors, fall color is starting almost 2 weeks early this year.

Like last year, below is my "arm chair" weatherman data going back to 2007. This is all completely my opinion. As of right now, I think Its going to be a good year for fall colors. July was way above average, but August and the first part of September have been below. Only thing I worry about is our dry conditions.

Normal Year:
Average First Color is September 28
Average Peak is October 26
Average End of Fall Color is November 11

My unofficial data:
Image
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by skinzfan23 »

How does the dry weather affect the fall colors? Does it make them less favorable?
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

From the US Forest Service:
USDA Forest Service wrote:A late spring, or a severe summer drought, can delay the onset of fall color by a few weeks. A warm period during fall will also lower the intensity of autumn colors. A warm wet spring, favorable summer weather, and warm sunny fall days with cool nights should produce the most brilliant autumn colors.
So We have had most of that. We were OK on moisture most of the spring, it was really more summer drought. I'm hoping what we are seeing now is actual fall color and not stress.
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Coyote
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Coyote »

Thanks for that chart Brad.

And that is what I hear from most people about fall colors in our area. With the temperatures we have been getting this September I am looking forward to an above average color season.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

Coyote wrote:Thanks for that chart Brad.
You're welcome, I enjoy working on it!
Coyote wrote:With the temperatures we have been getting this September I am looking forward to an above average color season.
I think August was a big factor, we never hit 90 again after August 1st and our average low in August was 62, which tied the lowest since I have been keeping track. September has been close to above normal for the most part.

A few photos from today:
1. Western Historic Trails Center
Image

2. Lake Manawa
Image

3. Lake Manawa
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Coyote
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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Preparation Canyon Overlook
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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And here are the other Predictor Maps:
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EastCB
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by EastCB »

What a joke. Was on Lake Superior last weekend, in Grand Marias, Mn . and there was no fall color yet. A little color in NW Ontario. On the way back some color between Park Rapids Mn and Detroit lakes.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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Not much yet, the best I could find:

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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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And, of course, from Preparation Canyon:
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Omaha Cowboy
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Some really great pics in this thread so far guys..

From the look of things, we should be at peak this weekend...

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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:From the look of things, we should be at peak this weekend...
The Locust trees and some Ash trees are really getting going, but I still see a lot of green out there. Heck the Locust Trees long Pacific at One Pacific Place might be bare by this weekend.
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by skinzfan23 »

I was in Branson, MO this past weekend and noticed quite a bit more color down there than in Omaha. All the recent rain isn't going to help color.
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skinzfan23
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

Couple from today:

1.
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2.
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

I've been all around town the past few days and there are some absolutely beautiful pockets a brilliant colors!
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by EastCB »

Brad wrote:I've been all around town the past few days and there are some absolutely beautiful pockets a brilliant colors!
Yes. This is the best I have seen it in many years! Went up north of CB today. It was awesome. Also went to Lake Manawa. Haven't seen the colors ever looking so good. In my neighborhood, by Indian Hills Road, so beautiful.
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

EastCB wrote:
Brad wrote:I've been all around town the past few days and there are some absolutely beautiful pockets a brilliant colors!
Yes. This is the best I have seen it in many years! Went up north of CB today. It was awesome. Also went to Lake Manawa. Haven't seen the colors ever looking so good. In my neighborhood, by Indian Hills Road, so beautiful.
I sure hope tomorrow's wind forecast doesn't ruin it. There are some ash trees by my work that have looked so good the past couple days, but they are already loosing the leaves fast!
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by EastCB »

Take county road l34 north of cb. Awesome views. and the head west towards Crescent.
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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EastCB wrote:Take county road l34 north of cb. Awesome views. and the head west towards Crescent.
Thanks for the tip, I'll check that out. I went from Big Lake, to the Lincoln Monument, down to the Quarry, then up Lime Kiln to the Old Lincoln Highway to crescent last weekend.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by EastCB »

Went south today. Pony Creek Lake in Glenwood, Iowa was spectacular. Took friends from Omaha and they were in awe. Then went to Waubonsie State Park in Sidney. Very cool, so much better than last year. We all agreed that around Glenwood the colors were so much better.
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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EastCB wrote:Went south today. Pony Creek Lake in Glenwood, Iowa was spectacular. Took friends from Omaha and they were in awe. Then went to Waubonsie State Park in Sidney. Very cool, so much better than last year. We all agreed that around Glenwood the colors were so much better.
That Awesome. I have made zero trips south so far this year. Hopefully we have a quiet week this week and may be we can get another weekend in before it starts to fade.

I got up early and left Omaha about 6am and got to Preparation Canyon about 30 min before sunrise. It was beautiful up there too! Nothing special for sunrise but that nice warm morning light hitting the trees and grasses was spectacular.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by bigredmed1 »

EastCB wrote:Went south today. Pony Creek Lake in Glenwood, Iowa was spectacular. Took friends from Omaha and they were in awe. Then went to Waubonsie State Park in Sidney. Very cool, so much better than last year. We all agreed that around Glenwood the colors were so much better.
Waubonsie was beautiful yesterday. Glenwood must have been amazing.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by iamjacobm »

This weekend may have been the last good opportunity in town. The trees outside my office were full this morning, but the wind has been striping them all day and they are nearly bare now.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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iamjacobm wrote:This weekend may have been the last good opportunity in town. The trees outside my office were full this morning, but the wind has been striping them all day and they are nearly bare now.
I was just going to at the same thing. Winds will reach their peak at 3:00 this afternoon and then slowly die down. I'm looking at a tree right now that is stripped down.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Coyote »

My hood from yesterday, looking up my street:
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

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1.
Friday morning on the way to work I took this at the OPPD Arboretum.
Image

2. Saturday Morning I was up a Preparation Canyon for sunrise. I have tried to photograph this scene for over a decade and never got anything I really liked. I thought long and hard about how to make it better and went for sunrise with a completely different lens than I have used in the past. The result, much closer to what I was hoping for. Still not sure if this will end up on my website or not, but happy with the improvement over past years efforts.
Image

3. Loved the small pops of color here against the almost silhouetted tree branches, made for a nice contrast.
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Brad
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Brad »

There is a very nice second or third wave of fall color moving into the Omaha metro area right now. Lots of oranges and deep reds. The burning bushes are just on fire right now.
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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Wow Brad and Mark. Fantastic pics.. Outstanding :thumb: ...

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Re: 2017 Fall Color Thread

Post by EastCB »

Brad wrote:There is a very nice second or third wave of fall color moving into the Omaha metro area right now. Lots of oranges and deep reds. The burning bushes are just on fire right now.
Yes, have noticed that. I went to North Platte Monday and after Lincoln, no color. I have to go to southern Iowa for work this weekend.2 weeks ago when I went the leaves were awesome!!!!! Forgot to take my camera then. I won't this time!!!
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