Am I the only one who thinks the trees are "saying something" by turning earlier? (live in, teacher)

[ottomobeale]

It seems to me the trees are turning early this year.

Anyone else thinks they are "saying" this winter is gonna be a bad one?

[Unknown Memory]

I did notice some trees turning early but who knows. O.o The winters in NJ can vary each year. I swear that this past winter, it almost felt like we wouldn't be getting any snow until it did happen. Then, there was that one winter where it was 70 degrees. But you'd never know when the big one will come. Any day now despite all that global warming frenzy. >_>

[ottomobeale]

I shoveled alot of global warming each winter when I lived in Cleveland.

[Unknown Memory]

^ Yeah, I notice a lot of snow up there in the north. Especially around the Michigan and New York state region. I can't imagine shoveling over seven feet of snow each year. It is kind of different down here in the northern mid-Atlantic region where we do expect about 1-3 feet on average. (And sometimes, we just get about 3 different snow days and that's it. >_> Which is a big difference to the '95 blizzard.)

[NewHomeHappy]

Yes Otto, I noticed the trees are turing color much earlier this year. I live in a semi rural area full of trees & surrounded my farms. Even the Mums are opening sooner.
As for snow.....well I survived the blizzard of 95' and I had to laugh when we had the non-blizzard that wasn't - what year was that one 2005? I remember my crazy MIL panicking about "the blizzard is coming, you better stock up on milk and bread" LOL
All we got was a little snow......I teased her for weeks.

[wileynj]

According to Farmer's.... we are to expect a very COLD and snowy winter this year. Snow especially in February..which makes sense as that has been our snow season of late. I'm kind of excited about it..finally - A REAL Nj Winter : )

[FromDaSack]

HELL YEA!
sorry hah

but all the small trees are already fall colors.. and that was in late august.. but its goin slowly now, but still. i know what u mean

thetemp dropped like crazy out of nowhere and it went to like 90 one day (yesterday, and it was hell)

...

i guess i want one, i miss havin a white christmas.. havn't seen one since like 2000 or summin. hopefully god will make it more snowy but not too bad.

[NJmmadude]

Not sure if it's as much a sign of a bad winter as it is a sign that it's been dry. Autumn leaves 'change color' (which is actually a dieback of the green chlorophyll to uncover the existing pigments underneath) because of less ultraviolet radiation. As the days get shorter, there's less demand for as much chlorophyll and it is not produced anymore.

I did notice leaves beginning to change early, but I think it's more of an effect of it being drier than usual. Not saying it's a concrete fact, but just my $0.02

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by NJmmadude

Not sure if it's as much a sign of a bad winter as it is a sign that it's been dry. Autumn leaves 'change color' (which is actually a dieback of the green chlorophyll to uncover the existing pigments underneath) because of less ultraviolet radiation. As the days get shorter, there's less demand for as much chlorophyll and it is not produced anymore.

I did notice leaves beginning to change early, but I think it's more of an effect of it being drier than usual. Not saying it's a concrete fact, but just my $0.02

Science teacher .

I've always heard it's about the squirrels. If they gather nuts like crazy...it means a bad winter is coming our way. I've only seen road killed ones this year...maybe they are crossing the street more often than usual collecting nuts

[mczabe]

I always heard squirrels too...but I thought it was how bushy their tails were.

Really bushy tails = bad winter?