How Hurricane Helene impacted fall foliage

Sitting at an elevation of 6,684 feet, the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is a popular spot for enjoying fall foliage. However, because of Hurricane Helene, this seasonal treat will be impacted this year.

Clemson University Professor of Ecology Donald Hagan is available to provide insight into the science behind why leaves change colors in the fall as well as how Hurricane Helene influenced fall color development.

“Strong winds blew off some leaves before they were able to fully change color,” Hagan said. “Even if the leaves didn’t blow off, the wind can cause additional stress and damage that can cause the leaves to get brown earlier than they would have otherwise. At the highest elevations, where the color change was already well underway, Helene probably blew off a lot of leaves before ‘peak color’ could have occurred.”

Despite Hurricane Helene’s effects, Hagan believes there is still potential for good color in many areas. However, Hagan advises those traveling to see the fall foliage to be mindful of ongoing rescue and recovery efforts as well as road closures across the region. Because of this, he suggests that this would be a good year to enjoy the color change from closer to home.

Hagan’s predictions indicate that leaf color changes are expected to peak in early-to-mid October in North Carolina and in early November in South Carolina.

Donald Hagan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation Department

College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
Now in his 12th year of making fall foliage predictions for Clemson, Donald Hagan’s expertise allows him to make an educated guess at the timing of when the leaves will begin to change colors. Additionally, he studies the effects of fire and plant invasions on population, community and ecosystem-level processes in forest ecosystems. He conducts most of his research in the southern Appalachian and Piedmont regions. Current research projects are supported by the Joint Fire Science Program, the US Forest Service, the National Park Service and the USDA Conservation Innovation Grant program.