Officials say the current dry spell is affecting the appearance of the area's foliage. The water levels definitely affect the fall color. Rainfall is almost 4 inches below normal for this time of year, said Mark McKinley, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albany. In the Albany area, there has been 24.58 inches of rain so far this year, compared with last year's 39.95 inches, McKinley said. This October's rainfall is about an inch below normal.
Less rain can lead to changes in leaf color and possible water shortages in wells.
Less water means that trees try to get rid of their leaves quickly, conserving the water for themselves instead of feeding it to the foliage, Breglia said. There was a little of both this year, he said. Hamilton County Tourism Director Bill Osborne said it is hard to tell whether tourism there has been affected by the below-normal rainfall. The foliage this year was, for the most part, very attractive. Too much moisture can stymie a tree's color too, Breglia said.