In anticipation of leaves changing in the coming months, the West Virginia Department of Tourism has released its 2024 Fall Foliage Projection Map to guide people toward scenic views.
The West Virginia Department of Tourism has released its 2024 Fall Foliage Projection Map.
Photo courtesy WV Department of Tourism
According to Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby, the Division of Forestry provides the department with expert guidance for the fall foliage forecast each year. She said in an email to HD Media that the map is based on several factors, including elevation and the types of trees found in different regions of the state.
The first areas to see changing leaves will be parts of Monongalia and Preston counties, south through the Mountain Lakes region excluding Marlinton. The Mid-Ohio Valley south through Nicholas and Greenbrier counties can expect foliage in mid-October.
Pocahontas County north through Mineral and Hampshire counties can expect the start of fall colors around early to mid-October.
But counties in the Eastern Panhandle, the Northern Panhandle, the southern part of Pocahontas County near Marlinton, and the southern part of the state, including the Metro Valley and parts of the Greenbrier Valley, could all expect fall colors as late as mid-October to early November.
W.Va.’s current drought might affect fall colors
Data from the National Integrated Drought Information System updated on Tuesday shows much of the state in severe or extreme drought, which could affect foliage patterns if it continues.
Meteorologist Gabe Wawrin from the National Weather Service in Charleston said the Kanawha Valley and other areas in southern West Virginia are currently in a severe drought. Wawrin said the weather will remain fairly dry for the foreseeable future with possibly some isolated rainfall in the middle of next week.
The rest of the state, Wawrin said, is generally in a moderate or worse drought with some areas in extreme drought. He said, given the current weather patterns, he would expect conditions to deteriorate moving forward.
According to the USDA Forestry Service, a summer drought can delay the change in leaves for a few weeks or lower the intensity of the colors. Last year, state officials predicted the amount of rainfall the state experienced could lead to stunning colors.
Leaves begin to turn colors, on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, on a tree along 11th Street in Huntington.
Ryan Fischer | HD Media
Hopeful for good fall color
“Although there has been less rain this summer,” Ruby said, “In previous seasons, we have had the rainfall all of a sudden pick back up and fall ended up being even more beautiful than we could have imagined. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for that type of outcome so we can see a vibrant fall in West Virginia.”
Each fall, Ruby said, the Department of Tourism works with a network of partners across the state who provide minute-by-minute updates of fall foliage conditions to give accurate reports weekly. This helps to “inform travelers where they can find the best places to enjoy West Virginia’s peak leaf peeping experiences,” she said.
“We have grown our fall season so much in recent years and are very aware of its importance. People come from a number of states across the country and even from other countries to experience the season in ‘Almost Heaven,’” Ruby said.
Beginning in mid-September, the Department of Tourism will begin releasing weekly fall foliage updates, including “real-time color reports” and a list of the week’s most “Instagrammable” fall views, according to a news release.
A Live Leaf Map is also available of the Department of Tourism website. The map updates in real-time with relevant photos from social media posts.
Katelyn Aluise is an education and court reporter.
