Peak Fall Foliage For Cooperstown and Syracuse This Weekend

While it's past peak conditions for most of New York, spotters say the place to be this weekend is Cooperstown and Syracuse to see vibrant colors.

I LOVE NY observers defines ‘peak’ as the overall best appearance the foliage will have during the season. Foliage change has been uneven this season with leaf droppage without color change.

Using to color key above, leaf peepers on the Syracuse University campus predict peak foliage this weekend. See 60-70 percent change with leaves above average in brilliance, as most sugar maples have completely changed.

Spotters at Skaneateles Lake also predict peak leaves this weekend. Look for 70 percent color change with bright pops of yellow and bursts of red, purple and orange.

Spotters in Cooperstown say Otsego County will see peak to just-past-peak foliage this weekend. See muted yellow, russet, dark red, orange, and orange-red leaves, along with some sporadic glowing dashes of red

Syracuse.com talked with Don Leopold, Botany professor at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, and author of the Guide to Fall Colors in Upstate New York and he says he has never seen colors as drab and disappointing as this years.

"These are the worst fall colors I've ever seen. This is the most disappointing fall." [Syracuse.com]

Unfortunately, the culprit is the weather, and there's not much we can do about that.