Before you book a New England leaf-peeping trip, look at what happened to Maine

World Destinations Maine went from 12% to 100% in drought in seven weeks while southern New England got wetter. What that means for this year’s color, and how to time a… By Anjali Shrestha · Sep 22, 2026 Read the full story

This fall, the drought map matters more than any foliage forecast, and it has split New England in two. In seven weeks Maine went from 12% to 100% of the state in moderate drought or worse, according to the US Drought Monitor. Over the same weeks… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

The drought flipped north to south since July

At the end of July, southern New England was the dry half. By mid-September it was northern New England. The US Drought Monitor publishes the share of each state in each drought category every week. We compared its map for 28 July with the latest one, for 15… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

What drought does to autumn color

A dry fall can make color better, but drought combined with heat makes it worse and ends it sooner. The yellows and oranges come from pigments already in the leaf, carotenes and xanthophylls, which show once the green chlorophyll breaks down. The reds, in… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Where the color stands this week

It is early. Most of New England is still green, and the far north is only starting to turn. Maine's 16 September report rated color change low or very low in every one of its seven zones, and leaf drop very low everywhere, with the state under 10% overall… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

How to time a trip this year

Keep the booking flexible and let the reports tell you where to drive. This is what I would do. Book refundable rooms, especially in Maine. If the drought brings the color forward or cuts it short, you want to be able to move north or south without losing a… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

The same season, on the other side of the world

Autumn is also Nepal's best season, for a different reason. The monsoon ends, the dust is washed out of the air, and October and November bring the clearest mountain views of the year. There are no maples on the trail to Poon Hill ; there are oak and… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek — 5 Days

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