When is the best time to see peak fall colors across the Northeast?
Fall warmth fades as cooler, windy weather approaches
A brief stretch of mild weather is giving way to lingering clouds and persistent cool temperatures in the sixties. As fall officially arrives, a developing coastal storm threatens to bring gusty winds and potential coastal flooding later in the week.
NEW YORK CITY - Tracking the wave of autumn color across the Northeast means following the elevation and the coastline. Peak foliage cascades steadily from the northern mountains in early October down to the coastal shores and southern reaches by mid-November.
Fall foliage forecast
Timeline:
Whether you are heading to the Alleghenies or the beaches of Delaware, here are the best times to catch peak fall color across the region.
New York
Color in New York works its way down from the high peaks toward the city over a six-week period.
- Early to Mid-October: Upstate mountains
- Late October: Upstate (lower elevations)
- Early November: Surrounding NYC suburbs
- Mid-November: New York City
Fall allergy season has gotten longer since 1970: Here's where it's worst
Ragweed allergy season is getting longer thanks to human-induced climate change, a new report says. That's bad news for some 50 million Americans who suffer from fall allergies.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania experiences a rolling, month-long wave of color, progressing steadily from the northern tier down to the south-east corner.
- Mid-October (Oct 11–18): Northern tier and high elevations (Potter, McKean, Warren, Tioga, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Wayne, Forest, Erie, Sullivan, Bradford, and Elk counties).
- Late October (Oct 19–31): Central mountains, western, and lower central regions (Venango, Crawford, Cameron, Jefferson, Clinton, Clarion, Pike, Carbon, Lycoming, Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Mercer, Centre, Monroe, Butler, Clearfield, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Montour, Lawrence, Indiana, Union, Dauphin, Somerset, Columbia, Fayette, Armstrong, Huntingdon, Northampton, Snyder, Mifflin, Northumberland, Allegheny, Bedford, Beaver, Westmoreland, and Washington counties).
- Early November (Nov 1–9): Southeast and lower elevations (Perry, Lehigh, Juniata, Lebanon, Greene, Berks, Bucks, Cumberland, York, Fulton, Franklin, Lancaster, Montgomery, Adams, Chester, Philadelphia, and Delaware counties).
Daylight saving time 2026: Will our clocks still 'fall back' this year?
Backed by the House and President Donald Trump but opposed by some medical experts, the Sunshine Protection Act aims to make daylight saving time permanent
New Jersey
The coastal influence begins to show in New Jersey, pulling the season slightly later than inland areas.
- Early to mid-October: Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties.
- Mid-October: Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties.
- Mid to late October: Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties.
When will the first snowfall hit NYC this fall, winter?
It may still feel like summer outside, but winter weather is fast approaching, which means you're probably already wondering when to expect those first flakes.
Maryland and Delaware
The maritime climate dominates the timing for both states, pushing the brightest colors into the final weeks of the season.
- Late October: Northern portion of Maryland.
- Early November: Inner portions of both Maryland and Delaware
- Mid-November: Maryland's Inner Harbor and Delaware's coastal areas like Rehoboth and Bethany beaches.
Map: Here's how much hotter fall has gotten in your county
Fall is supposed to bring a cool-down. But, new data suggests that’s becoming less true in nearly every corner of the country.
Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The season extends well into November here, driven by the vast differences between the western mountains and the eastern tidewater.
- Early to mid-October: The highest mountains of Southwest Virginia and the Alleghenies.
- Mid to late October: The Shenandoah Valley and Virginia’s broader mountain regions, along with central Virginia and parts of Northern Virginia.
- Late October to early November: Coastal Virginia.
- Early to mid-November: Washington, D.C. (Note: Leaves begin changing in early October, but local dry conditions can potentially shorten the display window before the peak).
What you can do:
You can track the changing colors throughout the season by checking foliage reports posted by state parks each week.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from New Jersey State Parks, PennLive, Explore Fall and Virginia Tourism.