Autumn colours arriving 2.1 days later each decade in Catalonia

Autumn colours are arriving later and later in Catalonia.

According to a recent analysis by the Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat), beech leaves are ripening between two and four days later each decade.

The alterations are being studied in the beech forest of Roca de Tiraval, in the northern municipality of Bagà, where the trend points to +4.1 days per decade, and in Castellterçol, +3 days.

For all of Catalonia, the average figure is 2.1 days per decade.

The phenophase of the tree are also being tracked, which shows that 50% of the leaves are yellow or reddish. The data is based on more than 2,000 observations over 13 years.

Meteocat is also measuring the evolution of beech forests in Montseny and other areas of Catalonia, but it is still too early to draw conclusions as there are only six years of observations.

 

The flowering of some plant species, the ripening of fruits, the fall of leaves, the flight period of butterflies and the migration of birds are monitored.

Beech trees in the counties of Vallès Oriental, Berguedà, Vall d'Aran, Osona and Ripollès are monitored.

"This allows us to evaluate how these trees are changing their rhythm of life depending on the new weather and climate conditions," according to Meteocat technician and network coordinator, Xavier De Yzaguirre.