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Why Does Pa. Have The Longest Fall Foliage Season On Earth


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Why does Pennsylvania have the longest fall foliage season on Earth?

Pa. fall foliage map

Pa. fall foliage map

Fall foliage season 2020 in Pennsylvania is predicted to run from mid-September through the end of October, according to the Fall Foliage Prediction Map produced annually by SmokyMountains.com.

Pulling together thousands of data sets ranging from historical rainfall records to long-range weather forecasts to elevation, the interactive online map produces a county-by-county fall foliage forecast for the entire continental U.S.

For the leaf-peeping season we are entering, the map provided the following forecast:

 
  • Week of September 14 – Minimal change creeping into the northern tier and northeastern corner of Pennsylvania.
  • Week of September 21 – Patchy color in the northern tier and northeastern corner of the state, while minimal change will arrive in the northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania.
  • Week of September 28 – Partial color in the northern tier and northeastern corner of the state, patchy in the northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania, and minimal change across the rest of the state.
  • Week of October 5 – Near peak in the northern tier and northeastern corner of the state, partial color in the northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania, and patchy across the rest of the state.
  • Week of October 12 – Peak in the northern tier and northeastern corner of the state, near peak in the northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania, and partial color across the rest of the state.
  • Week of October 19 – Past peak in the northern tier and northeastern corner of the state, peak in the northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania, and near peak color across the rest of the state.
  • Week of October 26 – Past peak in the northern tier, northeastern corner of the state, northwestern quarter of the state and the mountain areas of central and western Pennsylvania, and peak color across the rest of the state.
  • Week of November 2 – Past peak statewide

While it may be a bit abbreviated this year because of weather conditions from August through September, Pennsylvania generally has the longest fall foliage season on Earth, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

 
 

The geographic regions and ecoregions that span the state also give Pennsylvania a more varied fall foliage season than elsewhere on the planet.

 

DCNR notes, "Only three regions of the world support deciduous forests that display fall autumn color: eastern North America, the British Isles and parts of northwestern Europe, and northeastern China and northern Japan. Forests in other regions are either tropical or dominated by conifers.

 

"Pennsylvania’s location between 40 and 42 degrees north latitude and its varied topography from sea level on the coastal plain to over 3,000 feet in the Laurel Highlands supports 134 species of trees and many more shrubs and vines that contribute to the display of autumn color.

 
 

“Pennsylvania is the meeting ground of northern trees that flourish only on mountain tops farther south and southern species that are at the northern limits of their range.”                                    https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/09/why-does-pennsylvania-have-the-longest-fall-foliage-season-on-earth.html

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Top Fall Foliage sites in Central PA

by: Devin Jackson

Posted:  / Updated: 
 

(WTAJ) — Fall is here, and there’s no better place to take in all its beauty than right here in Central PA. We’re giving you a look at some of the best areas in our region to see great fall foliage.

We begin in our northern most counties, in Elk and Cameron Counties.

Elk State Forest

It features over 200,000 acres and over 30 hiking trails, and once boasted a large number of elks romaing its fields. DCNR spokesperson Ryan Reed says this week is a great week to see their fall foliage peak.

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Courtesy of the PA DCNR

Elk Country Visitors Center

Elk Country Visitors Center is a place where plenty of elk and trees can be found. It is elk breeding season so there is a chance you can not only see some of these elk, but see the trees turning their colors as well.

elk-country-visitors-center.jpg?w=900
Courtesy of the Elk Country Visitors Center Facebook Page

“You can go there and spend time on viewing platforms just watching the Elk, and take in all of the beautiful fall sites at the same time,” said Ryan Reed, Natural Resource Program Specialist, Communications Specialist for the Bureau of Forestry at the DCNR.

Moving south towards State College, several areas pop up:

Bald Eagle State Park

It has 5,900 acres of land surrounded by forests, Bald Eagle Mountain, wetlands and a 1,700 acre lake.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Poe Valley State Park

Has just 620 acres but also surrounded by Bald Eagle State Park.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Rothrock State Forest

It comprises of 96,975 acres of land, featuring plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails for all to enjoy.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Tuscarora State Forest

It also boasts over 96,000 acres, with some of its land reaching into Huntingdon County, featuring an abundance of different types of trees with narrow valleys and rocky ridges.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Ryan says by simply driving down route 26 towards route 322 in Centre County will allow you to see the fall foliage of quite a few of these forests.

“It’s a really long, scenic state for state forest drive, that will take you basically to the South end of Bald Eagle State forest,” Reed added.

And of course, we would remiss to not mention Raystown Lake.

Raystown Lake

Located out in Huntingdon County, it is an 8,300 acre lake surrounded by forestry and is the largest lake that is entirely in Pennsylvania. It is surrounded by 21,000 acres of forested mountain slopes that gives breathtaking views in the fall.

raystown-lake.jpg?w=900
Photo Courtesy of the Raystown Lake Facebook Page.

Out west, features several areas in Somerset County that also have fall foliage, including:

Forbes State Park

It totals 59,000 acres.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Mount Davis

Known as the tallest point in Pennsylvania, also lies in Somerset County, sits 3,213 feet above sea level, and features an observation tower.

Mount-Davis-9587.jpg
Photo Courtesy of UncoveringPA

Finally, in the Altoona area, some great places to visit fall foliage is none other than:

Horseshoe Curve

It is an historic landmark that once saw 250 different trains come through on a given day at its peak.

Canoe Creek State Park

Features 961 acres of land, surrounded by an 155 acre lake, that offers mirgating birds and a host of wildlife.

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Photo Courtesy of the PA DCNR.

Ryan says PA residents are lucky to have such a variety of fall foliage areas across the entire state.

“When it comes to our fall color, I really believe that the citizens of Pennsylvania shouldn’t be inclined to take it for granted, we have one of the longest, and most varied fall foliage seasons anywhere in the world.”

You can check out the DCNR’s Fall Foliage reports by visiting their website.                               SEE VIDEO REPORT     ;     https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/local-news/top-fall-foliage-sites-in-central-pa/

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