The Seasons

If you live in Wisconsin we have four seasons, although some years it seems as if we never have a spring.  This year seemed to be one of those years.  We have had a wet year.  Today,  I heard that we just completed our first four day stretch of not having rain since the latter part of August.  Year to date we have 12" more of precipitation than normal.  For the month of October, and we are not even to the middle of the month, the Madison area has nearly four inches (3.91" at the airport) compared to an average of .7" month-to-date. that is 3.2" more than normal.  Does the precipitation delay the colors?  Day light is pretty much the same every day of every year, but of course the amount of actual light is variable depending upon sunshine.

8 October 2013
Notice how upper Locust leaves are mostly gone

With all our wet weather sunshine seems to have been in short supply.  Monday, for example, was to be mostly sunny, but it turned out to be mostly cloudy.  The same with last week Saturday, but from what I heard just a few miles southeast, by Cambridge, it was mostly sunny.  A few miles make a difference.  One thing that struck me this year is I am usually starting to pick up leaves.  I noticed, however, that the Autumn Purple Ash tree in my front yard has now just started to turn color, but in past years it was at peak by this time, if not perhaps beyond peak. 

8 October 2013
Radiant and vibrant yellow looking up to tree canopy
from the ground

When the sun shines on the tree with its leaves at or near peak it is a radiant purple off set by a vibrant yellow on the lower side of interior leaves.  This contrast can make for same rather nice viewing.  The problem now is that fall rains, and/or wind can wreak havoc on the leaves and the ability to enjoy the fall colors can be rather fleeting. 

8 October 2016
Perhaps it is the lack of sun, but the tree does
not look as vibrant as in 2013

The locust street tree in my yard has a golden fall color and that tree is usually bare by the time the locust trees in my backyard starts to change.  The front locust is usually completely bare by now, but this year, like the other trees, there seems to be a delay. 

8 October 2019
Notice how little of the tree leaves have changed
Also notice leaves on Locust to right

I am not sure how much temperature affects leaf color.  While we have been above normal temperatures this week so far, we were below normal the prior week.  The colors of autumn can thrill most everyone, but yet they are fleeting with intensity and duration subject to the variability of the weather.  The leaves of the trees, flowers, vegetables and other plants all seem to have their own level of alteration as each plant gets ready for winter.  The shortening hours of day light inform us of the coming of our fourth season, winter. 

Photos by author