Livingston, Day speak with media about Maine’s early fall foliage
WABI (Channel 5) and AccuWeather.com spoke with University of Maine researchers about the fall foliage forecast for the Northeast. Bill Livingston, an associate professor of forest resources, was interviewed by WABI on a story about the state’s first foliage report. According to the report, Maine’s trees are already beginning to change color. According to Livingston, the early change in color can be attributed to the lack of rain during the summer. “Because we’ve had a dry summer, this part of Maine has been under a drought, I’ve actually seen the colors change early,” Livingston said. The warm and dry conditions during September can affect the season’s vibrant colors; warm nights and warm days will lead to more brownish colors. “If we get cool night, down in the 30s, 40s, and then sunny days in the 60s, we can still have vibrant colors,” said Livingston. Michael Day, an associate research professor in the school of forest resources, told AccuWeather that a cold snap is what the northeast needs for especially bright colors to develop.