This tracks for us in Vermont. It's barely rained since early July, and of the trees in our yard, the birch is damn near bare, the oak is starting to drop, and the maple is just holding on to its leaves. In the wider area I drive in, the trees are starting to show some color.

We're looking forward to some rain this week, but we're a ways behind[0]. If you have New England fall foliage plans, you might want to move them up if you can.

[0]https://www.drought.gov/states/vermont

Confimed. I live in the tiny bit of "moderate" color that is dipping down from Vermont into Western Mass. We are in a drought and the leaves seem to be just drying up and dropping instead of changing colors. I'm hoping the rain this week doesn't just knock them off the trees.

It feels like it's going to be a pretty lackluster leaf season, with everything going at different times. Note to tourists: if you'd like to bring some leaves home, take as many as you'd like.

Indeed, I just drove across the state on Saturday and things are just starting to change in the higher valleys. Stressed trees are starting in the lower valleys as well.

We travel to New England the first week of October every year regardless to see family. It’s usually a great week to see the foliage, but considering the way everything has been going here in NC (leaves are already starting) I was expecting an early start, it’s a bummer to hear confirmed. Oh well, looking forward to visiting either way. See y’all in a few weeks!

Can confirm. North central VT a lot of brown/leaf drops very early without even rain. Of which, with this morning's 0.25" we are at 1.08" for Sept after 1.72" in Aug. That said, there are some reds developing and a smattering of yellows.

Advise leaf peepers to skip my town and just stay in NJ ;)

Yeah you can't really have a foliage map without a drought map to accompany it. The fall colors are a fickle thing. Last year's was pretty drab in lower NY. The year before it was quite good.