{
  "id": 10962043,
  "title": "The ‘Super El Nino’ is upon us. What does that mean for Ontario’s fall colours?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/the-super-el-nino-is-upon-us-what-does-that-mean-for-ontarios-fall-10962043",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T14:39:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12082856/will-super-el-nino-impact-ontario-fall/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists are calling the current El Nino - dubbed the \"Super El Nino\" - the strongest on record, and it may well delay Ontario's iconic fall foliage. The climate pattern has already been disrupting weather patterns worldwide, bringing drought and floods to different regions. Despite this, experts predict Ontario will still enjoy a vibrant display of fall colours, though there might be a slight delay in their appearance.\n\nSusan Dudley, a biology professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, explains that the typical cue for the significant change in leaf colour is cold nights, which may be delayed due to the warmer temperatures brought by the Super El Nino. However, this year's trees seem less stressed compared to last year, when drought and hotter-than-normal summer weather caused leaves to brown before they could change colour.\n\nDudley adds that the typical green colour of leaves comes from chlorophyll, which plants use for photosynthesis. As autumn approaches, trees start withdrawing nutrients from the leaves into their trunks, branches, and roots, making the yellow and orange pigments visible. The red hues, the most admired ones, are created by anthocyanins that help protect plants from ultraviolet light.\n\nThe strength of the fall colours is determined by the combination of brighter daylight and cooler temperatures, which might result in slightly duller foliage this fall due to the warmer El Nino weather. However, Ontario's fall colours are renowned because of its diverse range of woody plants, including maples, and its ample daylight during cold fall days.\n\nDavid Phillips, a climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, notes that while precipitation varied across the province, trees generally received sufficient moisture during the summer. Even though the temperatures were warmer than average, they were not excessively hot, creating an ideal environment for healthy trees to produce vibrant foliage.\n\nWith the Super El Nino's warmer weather, fall admirers can look forward to viewing the beautiful colours without discomfort. As El Nino's impact extends across the country, it brings varied viewing conditions from the Muskokas to central Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area, with Algonquin Provincial Park currently showcasing exceptionally vivid foliage. Normally, the fall colour window spans from mid-September to late October in Ontario, but this season, it has been delayed by a few weeks due to the El Nino.",
  "summary": "What's expected to be the strongest El Nino on record may delay Ontario's stunning fall foliage, but experts say there's no reason to worry – the colour show will go on.",
  "key_points": [
    "Super El Nino is the strongest on record, delaying Ontario's fall foliage",
    "Warmer temperatures may delay cold nights needed for leaf color change",
    "Ontario's fall colors still expected, with vivid displays in Algonquin Park"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "The ‘Super El Nino’ is upon us. What does that mean for Ontario’s fall colours?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/the-super-el-nino-is-upon-us-what-does-that-mean-for-ontarios-fall-10964414",
        "published": "2026-09-30T14:39:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}