Central Park in the fall
Peak Foliage Reaching Final New York State Destinations
Week of Nov. 9 – 15, 2022
Beautiful Peak Colors Expected Throughout Manhattan
This is the ninth and final 2022 I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report for New York State. Reports are obtained from volunteer field observers and reflect expected color conditions for the coming weekend. Reports are issued every Wednesday afternoon.
Colorful fall foliage is reaching its final destinations in New York State, with peak leaves expected in New York City this weekend throughout central and lower Manhattan, according to field reports from volunteer observers for Empire State Development’s I LOVE NY program.
In New York City, foliage spotters on the Upper East Side in Central Park predict peak color, with 75% change and an abundance of average-to-bright gold, purple, red, and green leaves. Other Central Park spotters predict peak and past-peak leaves, with up to 85% color change and average-to-bright shades of red, yellow, orange, and green. Spotters reporting from the Upper West Side anticipate peak foliage with 75% change, and bright yellow and orange leaves. On the northern tip of Manhattan, spotters at Inwood Hill Park expect past-peak foliage, with orange, green-yellow, yellow, green, and brown leaves of average brilliance, along with significant droppage.
In central Brooklyn, spotters reporting from the Crown Heights and Prospect Heights neighborhoods expect peak leaves with 70% color change and average-to-bright yellow leaves, along with shades of orange, red, and purple. Williamsburg and Greenpoint spotters anticipate past-peak foliage this weekend, with 90% color change and brown, yellow, and green leaves of average brilliance.
On Staten Island, peak foliage is expected this weekend, according to reports from Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, Silver Lake Park, Willowbrook Park, Clove Lake Park, and Freshkills Park. Spotters predict 85% color change with a bright blend of red, yellow, orange, and purple shades, along with heavy leaf droppage.
The western portion of Long Island is currently featuring a mix of colorful peak foliage and past-peak areas scattered throughout both Nassau County and western Suffolk County, and will be mostly past-peak by the weekend. Remaining leaves should still feature variations of gold, red, rust, and brown. In Nassau County, some good but past-peak color is expected along the Northern State Parkway, especially between exits 25 and 29 in Nassau County. Spotters in Valley Stream anticipate that peak colors will hold through the weekend, with 75% color change and average shades of red, orange, yellow, green, and brown. Observers at Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead report that leaves there are past-peak with some remaining bright and spectacular crimson, ochre, tangerine, and rust leaves, despite significant leaf droppage.
There is still lingering past-peak color to be found on the North Shore of Suffolk County, including some bursts of yellow and red amongst the maples, which are outnumbered in many parts by the rich deep rust color of the oaks, and some trees that are still green. Spotters at The Nature Conservancy in Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island are predicting past-peak foliage with 95% leaf change and an abundance of yellow shades, along with some reds and remaining green, and significant leaf droppage.
In the Hudson Valley, Cold Spring spotters expect past-peak foliage this weekend, with nearly 100% leaf change and brilliant shades of red, yellow, orange, and purple, along with significant droppage. Westchester County foliage will also be past-peak, according to spotters in White Plains, who anticipate 90% color change and red, orange, yellow, and green leaves of muted to bright brilliance.