AP quotes Stancioff in report on how dry weather could affect foliage
Esperanza Stancioff, an educator with Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Associated Press for an article about how dry weather in New England could dull some of the region’s fall foliage and cut the color short in some locations. In particularly dry areas and those with thin soil, leaves on some trees could turn brown and crispy and fall off, according to the article. Modest stress — such as dry conditions— can also trigger a display of vibrant red in particular trees, boosting the range of color, but that splash won’t last long in drought-stricken areas, the article states. “They’re having this burst of colors which won’t last as long because it’s dry and the leaves will drop sooner,” Stancioff said. ABC News and Brattleboro Reformer carried the AP article, and The Weather Channel cited it in its report on fall foliage.