It may be early in New York’s leaf-peeping season, but some parts of the Empire state are starting to show signs of autumn.
According to New York’s weekly fall foliage report, the season is now underway as the first signs of spectacular seasonal hues are emerging across New York state. As expected, the most significant changes are notable in the Adirondacks and Catskills, as well as some parts of the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier.
So, what are the conditions across the state this week? Here’s the first report of the season from the state Department of Economic Development, broken out by region:
Adirondacks fall foliage
New York’s fall foliage map for autumn 2025. The first week runs from Sept. 10-16.
Herkimer County: Spotters predict 20% color change in Old Forge by the weekend, with pops of orange leaves.
St. Lawrence County: A 15 to 20% color transition is expected by the weekend in Wanakena with muted to average red and purple leaves.
Essex County: Expect 20% color change at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, with orange and yellow leaves and areas near the mountain have around 10% transition, with intermittent spots of muted yellow, orange and red. Crown Point, Newcomb, Ticonderoga and Lake Placid all expect a 10% color change by the weekend, with a variety of seasonal colors, including red and orange. In Plattsburgh, expect a 5% color transition, with muted yellow leaves.
Franklin County: Up to a 15% color change in predicted by the weekend in Tupper Lake, with traces of mustard, goldenrod and bronze. In Saranac Lake, a 15% color change is also predicted, with some yellow leaves emerging. There is a 5% color change in Malone, with some bright red and orange leaves.
Hamilton County: Spotters predict a 10% color change by the weekend in Lake Pleasant, with some red leaves and a tinge of yellow. In Long Lake, expect a 10% color change, with bright touches of red, yellow and orange beginning to pop out. A 5% color transition is predicted in Benson.
Lewis County: More than 10% change in Lowville is expected by the weekend, with moderately bright shades of yellow and a few splashes of red.
Warren County: A 5% change in Lake George and Queensbury is expected, according to spotters, with mostly green leaves and some emerging yellows.
Capital-Saratoga fall foliage
The twists and turns of the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run are surrounded by the exploding colors of fall deep in the Adirondacks near Lake Placid. The photo was taken on a foliage flight over the High Peaks by Adirondack Flying Services in Lake Placid.
Rensselear County: Spotters predict up to 10% change in East Nassau, with subtle pops of muted yellow and orange leaves starting to break through.
Saratoga County: Expect a 10% change in Saratoga Springs by the weekend, with muted shades of yellow and rust.
Albany County: Spotters predict up to 5% change with some emerging yellow leaves in Cohoes at Cohoes Falls.
Fulton County: A 5% change in Stratford is expected by the weekend, with emerging yellows and reds.
Schenectady County: Spotters predict a 5% change in Central Park in Schenectady with some gold and red leaves, particularly in treetops.
Catskills fall foliage
Delaware County: Spotters predict a 15% color change by the weekend in Colchester with bright pops of yellow. In Dehli, also expect a 15% color transition, with muted gold leaves along roadways, and orange and red on the hilltops.
Greene County: Observers predict a 15% color transition along The Windham Path in Windham with hints of red and yellow leaves. By the weekend, a 10% change is expected in other parts of Windham, with patches of orange and red leaves of average brilliance.
Sullivan County: Spotters predict a 15% change in Liberty, with some bright shades of red, yellow and orange. By the weekend a 5% color change in Forestburgh is expected, with average to bright tinges of red and orange.
Ulster County: Spotters predict a 10% color change at Belleayre Mountain in Highmount, with slightly muted red and orange leaves.
Central New York fall foliage
Otsego County: Expect 10 to 15% color change by the weekend in Cherry Valley, with muted to average shades of yellow. Less than 10% change is expected in Cooperstown, with mostly muted yellow leaves emerging.
Chenango County: Observers predict less than 10% color change in Bainbridge, Norwich and Preston by the weekend with slightly muted touches of orange and brown leaves.
Oneida County: A 5 to 10% color change is predicted by the weekend in Utica.
Herkimer County: By the weekend, expect less than 5% change in Herkimer, with mostly green leaves.
Broome County: Spotters predict less than 5% change along the Greenway Walking Trail in Binghamton.
Montgomery County: Spotters predict 5% or less change in Fonda by the weekend.
Schoharie County: In Gilboa, expect less than 5% color change with mostly green leaves.
Finger Lakes fall foliage
Steuben County: Spotters predict 15% color change by the weekend in Bath, Corning, Hammondsport and Hornell, with some emerging fall colors of average brilliance.
Ontario County: Expect up to 10% transition in Canandaigua by the weekend, with hints of red and orange, but less than 5% change is expected in nearby Farmington.
Chemung County: Spotters predict up to a 5% color change in Elmira, with some yellow among mostly green leaves.
Livingston County: Observers predict less than 5% of color change in Geneseo by the weekend, with mostly green leaves.
Monroe County: Spotters predict a 5% color change by the weekend in Rochester.
Onondaga County: Expect a 5% change at Beaver Lake in Baldwinsville by the weekend, with red on some treetops.
Tompkins County: Spotters predict a 5% change in Ithaca and Trumansburg, with some fall colors just beginning to appear on the mostly green hillsides.
Yates County: By the weekend, spotters predict more than 5% change in Penn Yan, with bright pops of red leaves.
Wayne County: Expect less than a 5% change in Lyons with predominantly green leaves.
Chautauqua-Allegheny
Cattauragus County: Around a 20% color transition is expected at Allegany State Park in Salamanca, with some muted yellow and red maple leaves. In Little Valley, expect a 5% or less color change with still mostly green leaves.
Chautauqua County: Observers predict a 5% color transition in Chautauqua with mostly green leaves.
Greater Niagara fall foliage
Wyoming County: Spotters predict 10% color transition at Letchworth State Park in Warsaw, with some emerging orange and yellow leaves.
Erie County: Expect a 5% color change by the weekend in East Aurora, still with mostly green leaves. Spotters also predict less than a 5% color change in Buffalo.
Orleans County: Spotters predict a 5% change in Albion, with average to bright orange and red leaves.
Thousand Islands-Seaway
Oswego County: Spotters predict a 10% change in Parish by the weekend, with some pops of red and orange. Also expect less than 5% change in Oswego, with mostly green leaves.
St. Lawrence County: Expect a 10% change in Massena by the weekend, with some touches of yellow.
Jefferson County: Observers predict a 5% color change in Alexandria Bay, with a touch of yellow and orange leaves.
Hudson Valley fall foliage
Columbia County: Spotters predict up to a 5% color change in Hudson by the weekend.
Ulster County: Observers predict a 5% change in Kingston, with a few emerging yellow and gold hues.
Dutchess County: Less than a 5% color change is predicted by the weekend in Poughkeepsie.
Orange County: Spotters predict less than 5% ncolor transition in Washingtonville and Westtown.
Rockland County: Less than a 5% color change is predicted by the weekend in Orangeburg and Nyack.
New York City
Less than 5% color change is expected by the weekend in Central Park and the Lower East Side of Manhattan, as well as in Pelham Bay in the Bronx.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Get a head start on NY foliage viewing: Where leaves are changing