Extended Autumn Beauty: Solstice's Influence on Trees

Did you know that the summer solstice is an important marker for predicting fall leaf peeping? In this video, Alex Dainis explains the connection between the two seasons. When trees drop their leaves is determined by day length and temperature. Based on temperature change data from between 1966 and 2015, researchers have found that early growing season warming that occurs before the summer solstice can lead to a longer fall leaf season. In contrast, warming after the solstice results in a shorter period of colorful autumn leaves. Early warming can lead to a leaf peeping season that starts as much as 2 days earlier for every degree Celsius warmer!