After a stormy week, cold arrives and much of Vermont passes peak foliage

Fallen leaves cover a picnic table in Jericho Center on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. . Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-1200x798.jpg" /> Fallen leaves cover a picnic table in Jericho Center on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. . Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-1200x798.jpg" src="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-scaled.jpg" alt="Fallen autumn leaves scattered on a wooden picnic table." class="wp-image-656940" srcset="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-300x200.jpg 300w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-1200x798.jpg 1200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-125x83.jpg 125w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-768x511.jpg 768w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-780x519.jpg 780w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-400x266.jpg 400w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/foliage-4-20261014-706x470.jpg 706w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />

This year, VTDigger is teaming up with Henry’s Weather Channel to help answer the annual question of when and where peak foliage will make its appearance across the state.

Each week, we’ll bring you an updated look at how foliage is unfolding statewide, paired with a weekend forecast, so you can plan your drive, hike or porch-sitting accordingly. Henry brings meteorological experience and on-the-ground reporting with photos and videos from across the region.

After a stormy week, trees have shed their leaves and peak foliage is in the rearview for much of Vermont. But as cold weather arrives this weekend, there are still opportunities to find color. Here’s what to know before you head out this weekend.

Foliage forecast data courtesy of Explore Fall – https://www.explorefall.com/

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-1200x900.png?crop=1" src="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150.png" alt="Vermont foliage outlook map for October 15, 2026, showing color progression across the state with a legend ranging from moderate to past peak conditions." class="wp-image-657018" srcset="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150.png 2500w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-300x225.png 300w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-1200x900.png?crop=1 1200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-125x94.png 125w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-768x576.png 768w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-1536x1152.png 1536w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-2048x1536.png 2048w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-800x600.png?crop=1 800w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-600x450.png?crop=1 600w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-400x300.png?crop=1 400w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-200x150.png?crop=1 200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-1024x768.png 1024w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-2000x1500.png 2000w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-780x585.png 780w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_101526_featured-image-150-706x530.png 706w" sizes="(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" />

Waning color

Much of the state is now past peak foliage, but you just need to know where to look. Current foliage across Vermont shows past-peak color across the Green Mountains with high to peak color across the lower elevations.

By next week, much of the state will lose its fall luster, with any high color that remains being confined to the lower valleys. Bundle up on Saturday, as winter temperatures make an appearance before we warm back up Sunday into next week.

Foliage forecast data courtesy of Explore Fall – https://www.explorefall.com/

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-1200x900.png?crop=1" src="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150.png" alt="Map showing Vermont foliage conditions on October 22, 2026, with most of the state at peak color." class="wp-image-657017" srcset="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150.png 2500w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-300x225.png 300w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-1200x900.png?crop=1 1200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-125x94.png 125w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-768x576.png 768w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-1536x1152.png 1536w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-2048x1536.png 2048w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-800x600.png?crop=1 800w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-600x450.png?crop=1 600w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-400x300.png?crop=1 400w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-200x150.png?crop=1 200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-1024x768.png 1024w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-2000x1500.png 2000w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-780x585.png 780w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/HWC_102226_featured-image-150-706x530.png 706w" sizes="(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" />

🍁 Know before you go this weekend: Get the statewide foliage and weekend weather outlook delivered to your inbox every Friday this fall, plus our daily Vermont news brief Monday through Saturday.

Snow at elevation?

Rain is expected Friday, which will lead to a strong cold front behind our weather system. A winter-like day arrives Saturday. Highs on Saturday are expected to be only in the 30s to low 40s!

Wind chills will be in the mid- to upper 20s throughout the day. The first accumulating snowfall of the season is expected across the higher elevations of the northern Green Mountains. A coating of snow to 2 inches can be expected across the summits with some flakes possible down to the lower elevations Saturday morning. More sunshine is expected by the second half of the day. The temperatures Saturday will be around 20 degrees below average for this time of year. Low temperatures Saturday night are expected to be in the 20s. That means a hard freeze on the way for much of the state.

A warmup is expected Sunday with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s. Plenty of sunshine is expected with calm winds — a nice adjustment from the day prior. Low temperatures Sunday night will be in the low to mid-30s for much of the state, with colder temps in the Northeast Kingdom, where lows may fall into the upper 20s.

Henry Swenson of Henry’s Weather Channel is a self-taught storm chaser, weather forecaster and drone videographer based in New England. He is known for his live storm coverage and tracking and has been delivering accurate weather forecasts to the region since 2017. For this partnership, Henry brings his mobile weather station and boots-on-the-ground approach to track fall foliage as it moves across the state.

Read the story on VTDigger here: After a stormy week, cold arrives and much of Vermont passes peak foliage.