Colorado's annual burst of brilliant fall color may look a little different this year, and ongoing drought conditions are largely to blame. While scattered storms brought some much-needed rainfall to parts of the state this past week, it hasn't been enough to significantly ease the overall drought. According to the latest data, just over 7% of Colorado remains in exceptional drought -- the most severe classification -- with Garfield, Rio Blanco, Mesa, Moffat, and Delta counties experiencing the worst conditions.

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Experts say drought-stressed trees often shift their energy away from producing vibrant pigments and toward basic survival. That means leaves may change earlier, drop faster, or turn more brown than gold -- especially in areas hit hardest by prolonged dry conditions.

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