Brilliant Northeast fall colors hang in the balance, and heat is the deciding factor

"Working against this backdrop for brilliant fall colors is the recent, record-breaking heat and many warm nights. The summer has been quite dry in many areas, and this too would tend to inhibit good color and also stretch out or delay color. The key is temperature," David Wolfe, professor of plant and soil ecology at Cornell University said.

According to Wolfe, the best autumn colors usually require:

• A warm, wet spring
• Moderate summer temperatures and weather that is not too dry
• Sunny fall days, combined with cool, but not freezing nights, and no severe dry spell
• No early frost, which will kill leaves, causing them to brown and drop early.