Why fall colors may fade faster than usual in Washington this year

SEATTLE — The first hints of autumn are already appearing across Washington, but experts warn that this year’s show of color could look a little different. After months of unusually dry weather, the state's famous fall display may arrive earlier than usual and disappear more quickly.

Paul Pastelok, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said colors typically peak in the northern Cascades around mid-October, with the rest of the state reaching its peak later in the month. This year, the drought is likely to shift that timing.

“We’ve fallen into a moderate to severe drought for most of the state. Trees sense that stress, and they’re going to try to shut down earlier than normal," Pastelok said. “We're gonna be about a week, maybe 10 days earlier that we reach peak."

Pastelok explained th