Overcast skies have begun to tuck Seattle under blankets of gray clouds. Cooler temperatures have settled in, and the veil of night creeps earlier and earlier as fall approaches.

You might’ve already started pumpkin-spicing and decorating for the cozy season, which officially begins Sept. 22, but one fall essential has yet to arrive: changing leaves.

This year, an abnormally hot and dry summer could make the leaves change a week or two earlier than usual and fall to the ground more quickly, said AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok.

That means foliage could peak in mid-to-late September in the mountains and early- to mid-October at middle and lower elevations.

Still, don’t despair. Despite the dryness, Washington trees are relatively resilient and are accustomed to dry, hot

See Full Page