Fall Color Report reports fall colors

Briana Novacek

Click on the map above for interactive color reporting. (Just kidding, go here for the interactive voodoo.)
Click on the map above for interactive color reporting.
(Just kidding, Clicky McClickerson. Go here for the interactive voodoo.)

Good news, leaf fans. Eau Claire County is currently amongst the most autumn-esque counties in all of Wisconsin – with an estimated Go Look at the Awesome Trees Cuz It Only Gets Browner from Here Time (our phrase, not theirs) around the third week of September.  Who says? Travel Wisconsin says.

The Wisconsin Fall Color Report on Travelwisconsin.com, gives you up-to-date color percentages for the foliage in each of Wisconsin’s glorious counties –  we are already at 25% color, and September has barely begun. Dunn County is clearly behind by a long shot, only at 15% color, while Chippewa County is at an equalling embarrassing 15%.

Not sure what’s in the water (or lack of it) up in Winter, but they’re at a whopping 35%.

The changing of the leaves is a stunning part of autumn in Wisconsin, but doesn’t it feel kind of early? Lately, when I notice the surrounding trees and their respective colors, I stop for a second and panic that I haven’t started on Christmas shopping yet.  But alas, 'tis not even October.

Clearly, something wild is going on with the weather. From a weak, is-that-all-you’ve-got winter to an unbearably sweltering summer, and now venturing into an early approaching autumn, I’m not sure where the madness will stop. But hopefully, all the kinks will be worked out and we can breathe a sigh of relief when everything is back to normal. Unless, of course, you enjoy unseasonable weather. Then by all means, savor it.