Clarence Fanto in the Berkshire Eagle reports on how the current drought will affect the fall foliage. The experts asked say the colorful leaves this year could be delayed and less vibrant. In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for instance only 0.80 inches of rain have fallen so far this month, far short of the three-inch long-term average for the first 24 days of August. The U.S. Drought Monitor has much of the Hudson Valley in a moderate or severe drought. “It’s not going to be a great fall for observing leaf colors,” AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines said. He said for colorful leaves, "You need beneficial rains, you don’t want it really hot, but we’ve struck out on those.” Fall foliage expert Jim Salge at Yankee Magazine was more optimistic. “With the warmer weather and the drought, we’re expecting a shorter than usual season, that’s a guarantee, and plenty of red colors, more likely than not,” Salge said. “Reds are beautiful, some of our best foliage years have been abnormally dry years.” But if the drought continues, leaves are likely to turn brown prematurely and dry out. “Species such as maples that provide the most brilliant displays are more sensitive to drought than other species,” said Karen Lombard, director of stewardship and restoration for Massachusetts at the Nature Conservancy. Read more about this story in the Berkshire Eagle.