Spectacular contrast to fall color

Early winter storms this week added spectacular contrast to the fall color. Here’s the latest status of fall color across the Golden State.
Overall summary: A couple of feet of snow fell on high elevations in the Sierra and Cascades. The combination of snow and fall color was described by one Southern California journalist visiting the Eastern Sierra this week as “stunning” and “magnificent.” Only those leaves in forests that had already turned yellow, orange or red and that were snowed upon in the past week will be ruined this coming week by frost, browning and being blown off branches. They are located mostly between 7,500 feet and 8,000 feet in elevation. Leaves below that elevation that were lime green or just beginning to turn, will still be coloring up in the coming two weeks and should continue the show. Overall, this has been a spectacular autumn for fall color and should storms not  continue, lots of fall color will still be seen.  This week, the color continues to descend with the Western Sierra reporting color appearing in Yosemite Valley, foothill grasses brightly yellow and maroon, and California’s vineyards showing increasing splashes of ruby, orange, yellow and lime. The first reports from Southern California also indicate change occurring there, which usually closes California’s autumn in December.
Photographs and fresh reports can be read at www.californiafallcolor.com.

— Submitted by John Poimiroo