Fall Colours Reach Peak in Parts of Southern Ontario Heading Into First Weekend of October

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Fall colours have been slow to arrive in parts of Southern Ontario due to a relatively mild September, but as we move into the first weekend of October, the transformation is starting to take hold. Several parks are now within their 'peak' fall colours range, providing excellent viewing opportunities.

The best spots to see the vibrant colours this weekend will be in Central and Eastern Ontario, as well as Bruce County along the Lake Huron shoreline. Many parks in these areas are showing between 40-50% colour change, with some even nearing full transformation!

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Note: The above map is extrapolated using data from OntarioParks.ca, but some parks may not have updated their latest report yet. As such, the actual colour change in your area may be further along than currently reported.

All provincial parks in Southern Ontario are reporting at least 10% colour change, indicating that the seasonal shift is well underway. However, it could take another week or two for many areas to reach their 'peak.'

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s likely that much of Southern Ontario will be hitting its peak fall colours, making it the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of the season during the long weekend.

For those wondering, 'peak' fall colours occur when at least 60% of the leaves have changed. Based on this, Algonquin and Mikisew Parks are officially in their peak, though this won’t last long. Mikisew is already reporting 70% of its leaves have fallen, so Algonquin might be a better option for now, with only 20% leaf fall reported.

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Several provincial parks are currently showing between 40-50% colour change, mostly in Central and Eastern Ontario:

  • Arrowhead (50%)

  • Charleston Lake (50%)

  • Frontenac (50%)

  • MacGregor Point (50%)

  • Sturgeon Bay (40%)

  • Darlington (40%)

  • Turkey Point (40%)

  • Murphys Point (40%)

  • Bon Echo (40%)

  • Silent Lake (40%)

  • Driftwood (40%)

These parks are offering good chances to catch the fall display, and since the data can be a few days old, they may already be approaching peak colours by the weekend.

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The remaining parks in Southern Ontario are reporting 20-30% colour change, especially around Lake Ontario and Southwestern Ontario near Lake Huron.

Parks like Pinery, Awenda, Presqu’ile, Forks of the Credit, and Port Burwell are still at about 10%, but with cooler fall weather settling in, this will likely change quickly in the coming days. The peak for these parks is expected to arrive in 10-15 days, just in time for Thanksgiving weekend or shortly after.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to track the progress of fall colours across Southern Ontario!

First Day of Autumn Arrives as Central and Eastern Ontario Approaches Peak Fall Colours

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As we entered September, it seemed like Mother Nature was eager to shift from summer to fall, with temperatures dropping to near freezing and even some northern areas witnessing the first snowflakes of the season.

But since then, the weather has taken a complete 180. Over the past few weeks, Southern Ontario has experienced a consistent pattern of above-seasonal temperatures and minimal precipitation. This unusual warmth for this time of year has slowed down the transition to fall colours across the region.

With the Autumn Equinox taking place early Sunday morning, we are officially in autumn, both meteorologically and astronomically. As we move deeper into the season, we’re starting to see some notable shifts in fall foliage, especially in Central and Eastern Ontario, according to the latest data.

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If you're looking to catch the fall colours this week, your best bet is to head to higher elevations in Central and Eastern Ontario. Provincial parks such as Mikisew, Algonquin, and Bon Echo are reporting that around 40% of the leaves have started their transformation. The higher elevations experience slightly cooler overnight temperatures, which accelerates the colour change compared to other areas.

Note: The above map is extrapolated using data from OntarioParks.ca, but some parks may not have updated their latest report yet. As such, the actual colour change in your area may be further along than currently reported.

The ‘peak’ fall colours occur when at least 60% of the leaves have changed. With these parks now at 40%, we’re likely just a week or two away from peak viewing, perhaps as early as next weekend.

We’re also seeing some colour change along the Bruce Peninsula and throughout many parks in Central and Eastern Ontario, where about 30% of leaves have started changing. This includes parks like Sauble Falls, Arrowhead, Sturgeon Bay, Silent Lake, Frontenac, and Murphys Point.

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For the rest of Southern Ontario, there is some minor colour change being reported, with 10-20% of leaves beginning to turn. However, peak colours are still several weeks away in these areas.

An important note: The calm weather over the past few weeks has allowed trees to hold onto most of their leaves. Without any significant wind events, the leaf fall percentage is averaging around 10-20%. If these calm conditions continue, we should see a vibrant display of colours in the weeks ahead.

Looking at the medium to long range forecast, we’re expecting slightly above-seasonal temperatures to continue through the rest of September. This could mean peak fall colours might arrive later than usual this year, although it’s hard to say for certain. We do anticipate more active weather this week, with several rounds of heavy rain possible, which could potentially knock some leaves off the trees.