Why did Fiona turn some leaves brown?

People are still assessing damage from Fiona as the cleanup continues in the wake of the storm.

The type of damage varies depending on where you are in Atlantic Canada, but one thing many people in Fiona’s path experienced was uprooted trees.

Sharon Pollock was curious as to why some of the leaves on the trees still standing turned brown almost immediately following Fiona’s passage.

There are a few reasons this happens, and most causes lead back to the tree being under stress.

If the tree becomes damaged, it’s possible the leaves will turn brown. Another cause of stress during a storm like Fiona is what’s known as wind burn, which is likely what happened to many trees where strong winds blew for hours.

It causes the leaves on a tree to dry, turning the leaf brown around the edges or entirely.

Finally, there’s the impact of the ocean.

If the wind is strong and in an ideal direction, and there are large waves, then sea spray may reach plants or shrubs over land. If there is no rain to wash that salt away, then the leaves can begin to wilt and wither.

Our trees are hearty, though, so the ones left standing with time will hopefully recover. I’ve also had people curious about fall foliage — did Fiona impact how vibrant fall colours will be this year?

Various weather factors between summer and fall contribute to how vibrant colours are each season.

While many trees were in full leaf, which is why so many were uprooted, the leaves on most trees were still green when Fiona arrived — meaning many were still strong enough to hold on and should not negatively impact fall colours.