Recent rain showers across Missouri may salvage the state’s fall foliage, according to state conservation officials.
Jim Low with the Missouri Department of Conservation says things looked pretty grim until this week’s cold front dumped several inches of rain in portions of the state.
“Trees were very stressed because of the lack of moisture," says Low. "The photosynthesis going on in those leaves was minimal.”
While some trees turned brown during the summer, says Low, those that still have green leaves have a good shot of going through their normal color changes this fall. In addition, the hot, dry summer has caused some trees to begin changing colors earlier than normal.
Significant changes in leaves have been sighted in north and central Missouri, in particular around St. Joseph, Jefferson City and the Lake of the Ozarks.