Briana Heaney Published

Despite Summer Drought, Leaves Are Full Of Life And Color

a aerial picture of a forest with some fall colors in the trees. The forest is green but speckled with red, and yellow.
Black Water Falls State Park is a great place to see fall foliage
Courtesy of West Virginia Department of Tourism
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Nearly all corners of the state are now seeing some of the red, yellows, and oranges of autumn foliage. This year’s seasonal display is predicted by the  West Virginia Department of Tourism to be one of the longest lasting fall foliages in decades

After a record summer drought many naturalists were expecting a dull and short lived fall. However the colors are vibrant and the leaves are hanging on. 

A brightly colored red leaf sits on top of a pile of brown leaves.
Briana Heaney/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Tourism experts say colors throughout the state are vivid, and many regions still have more fall colors on the way. 

Moisture in late summer and early fall brought some life back to trees, and ideal fall conditions like sunny warm days and cold nights helped trees produce colorful leaves
The tourism department says some of the best places to see fall foliage right now are Coopers Rock State Park, North Bend State Park, Wheeling, Clay County, and Charleston.