UK autumn colours emerge unevenly after record summer heat and drought

The UK’s record-breaking summer heat and drought have left some trees shedding leaves early, so autumn colours are appearing at different times across the country. Forestry England’s tracker showed early yellow, orange and red in several forests by the end of September, but that does not guarantee the strongest displays later in the season.

The early leaf loss, sometimes called “false autumn”, is a response to heat and drought stress. Kevin Martin, head of tree collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said many trees—particularly in southern England—had already shed leaves prematurely as they tried to conserve water.

Recent rain could still help some individual trees produce strong colours in October, Martin said. But the display is unlikely to arrive everywhere at once: local weather, elevation, tree species and conditions at each site all affect when leaves change, according to Chris Sorensen, a forest management adviser at Forestry England.

At the end of September, the tracker recorded early signs of colour in the New Forest, Delamere Forest, Wyre Forest and the Forest of Dean. Silver birch, rowan and horse chestnut were among the species changing colour, while many oak and beech trees remained mostly green. Western and central forests showed some stronger early signs, though this does not mean they will have the most vibrant colours later.

Sunny days and cooler nights generally favour a colourful display and help leaves stay on the trees. Prolonged strong winds or heavy rain can shorten it. Martin said trees in some areas urgently needed more rain after months of drought.