Fall Colors, Frost, and Bad Air

Colorful trees at Moraine State Park, 3 Nov 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)

8 November 2021

Last week began as a warm colorful autumn and ended with frosty mornings. This week begins with bad air.

Before last week’s frost I found splashes of fall color including this amaranth in an unusual place at Phipps Conservatory. Click here to see where this red plant was growing.

Amaranth in an unusual spot at Phipps Conservatory, 30 Oct 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)
Colorful leaves at Schenley Park, 30 Oct 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)

On 4 November the leaves glowed yellow as the sun gained altitude at Frick. When the sun melted the frost, leaves quickly loosened and dropped from the trees.

Sun through golden trees on a frosty morning at Frick Park, 4 Nov 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)

On Saturday morning at Yellow Creek State Park the frost was beautiful, ephemeral and cold. Hoarfrost decorated the weeds in the parking lot.

Hoarfrost on a grassy weed, Yellow Creek State Park, 6 Nov 2021, 9:39am (photo by Kate St. John)
Hoarfrost at Yellow Creek State Park, 6 Nov 2021, 9:39am (photo by Kate St. John)

Frost remained in a tree’s shadow but not for long.

Frost in the shadow, Yellow Creek State Park, 6 Nov 2021, 9:49am (photo by Kate St. John)

Last week I re-learned how to dress for winter. This week will be warm with highs in the 60s, lows in the 40s, temperature inversions and bad air in Pittsburgh.

Roger Day captured these views of the Mon Valley yesterday morning, 7 November, from Frick Park’s Riverview overlook. The Allegheny County Health Department has issued an air pollution warning and the state DEP has issued a Code Orange warning. Read more here.

Edgar Thompson Works in Braddock pouring smoke, seen through smog at Frick Park, morning of 7 Nov 2021 (photo by Roger Day)
Inversion: Edgar Thompson Works in the distance, Frick Park, morning of 7 Nov 2021 (photo by Roger Day)
Inversion: Kennywood seen through smog from Frick Park, morning of 7 Nov 2021 (photo by Roger Day)

Don’t breathe!

(photos by Kate St. John & Roger Day)

2 thoughts on “Fall Colors, Frost, and Bad Air

  1. iNaturalist.org is identifying the “colorful leaves” as Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica). Never identified that before, will have to look for it!

    1. Steve, I don’t think it’s sumac because the fruits are small scaled structures like catkins. My guess is an alder. This was on the hillside near Phipps so it might be an escapee.

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