Why are the trees still covered in leaves?

[SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease]

I noticed when I was driving home tonight that the trees still look like it's summer, full of green leaves. They should be red/brown and falling by now. Is this because of climate change? What is the science behind this?

Still lots of roses and other flowers including jasmine in my garden in Hertfordshire.

If I wasn't worried about climate change I wouldn't be complaining though - I hate winter and all its evil doings.

It's because of the late summer. It was like July in September, and like August in October. It's glorious isn't it?

Yes I keep saying it too, also pansies and all other plants bushes in my garden started blossoming, lots of bees working on them.
Another thing I noticed it’s the birds..they fly so low dangerously when in the car, literally I had few almost hitting the cars windows.

See, some people go on about how 'it's sooooo warm and summery for October!' and yell 'OMG CLIMATE CHANGE!' But the fact is, it's NOT that unusual. I have known many Octobers when we have had temperatures of 20-23 degrees C.

I have had posts pop up on my facebook timeline this past week, from 4 or 5 different years - over the past 15 that I have had facebook. They are photos of me and DH and the kids - in shorts on the beach, or in the garden - in October.

AND I have (proper printed out) photos of my kids from 20-23 years ago, from the second week in October, on the beach, and it was 22 degrees C then!

It's not that rare, really. If this was late November, I would get peoples worries. But it's only early October!

Leaves are changing where I am and starting to fall

We often get leaf drop much later. Sometimes, we're raking up the leaves between Christmas and New Year when they've dropped particularly late. It always fluctuates quite a lot. I expected later drop this year, because our trees were very late to leaf in the Spring - I remember I kept mentioning the bare trees to hubby as I wondered whether one of them had died, it was so late producing the buds and then the leaves.

I think it must depend partly on the area. It is very mild, but I'm in the south east and I find the leaves usually stay green until late October/early November, so the trees look fairly normal for this time of year to me.

Kent location here. Conkers have been dropping for a couple of weeks, lots of green still but a fair smattering of yellow leaves falling in the fields where I walk the dogs. It'll change very quickly when the temperatures drop over the next few days

Ignorance is bliss.

I have a couple of roses that flower until December every year. They are very very old.

In 1987 after a very wet period the trees were still in leaf on the 15th October, which contributed to the number which fell in the storm of the night of the 15th/16th.
This year, though, they are in much more leaf as there has been much more growth put on than usual.

And you are gullible.

I wonder whether the sense that this year's leaf change is late is partly a result of the contrast with recent years in which it has been unusually early in parts of the country?
When I have travelled down south in recent years I have noticed the autumn leaf change seeming to come earlier, perhaps as a result of drought .

But I guess this year's autumn is genuinely a bit later than the average - a combination of a wet late summer plus a strikingly mild/warm autumn.

My lawn seems to be growing as fast as it was in the wetter parts of summer.

Strange times.

This post is a good example of climate change denial.

The trends in the data are clear and the scientific community is more united on this issue than anything else.

Anecdata like this, whilst comforting to cling to, is meaningless.

You do realize that climate change has been happening for as long as your 'anecdata' goes back don't you? I've been acutely aware of it for around 45 years

Are you in complete denial or just haven't twigged that the climate crisis didn't start last year?

This weather doesn't terrify me anymore than the snowy winters of 2008 and 2010. Weather is not climate. This summer was shit anyway, screeching about everything just makes people not care.

My honeysuckle, passionflower pelargoniums and nasturtiums are still in pretty full flower.

It's because were having a warm Autumn. It's the cold temperatures that trigger deciduous trees to change colour and shed their leaves.

North England here, and the season has definitely changed. Leaves blowing off everywhere and cooler. I put the heating on last night.

I believe there is an increase in sea temp levels so I wouldn't say climate change isn't a thing. Having said that though I don't think we are in richer countries will be doomed we will find ways to adapt . It's the developing countries I worry about, especially those at risk of flash flooding.

Agreed. So frustrating when intelligent people are defeatist

I do find it strange. But there have been some educational replies here about the matter.
I just wanted to reply with my experience.
We live in front of a row of trees. I vividly remember (and have photos of) what the trees looked like in mid/late March 2022, as it is when we got our cat and I'd take a lot of photos of him in the window. I can see the bright green row of trees behind in the pics.
This year, same time of year to the date I remember looking outside and wondering why the trees were bare. I mean not one leaf!!
The seasons are changing a hell of a lot, year by year.
I don't like to think about it too much.. but it does worry me.

I also want to say it depends on the tree. There are 2 trees in the row of trees we see, that always bloom bright pink in early spring, before the other trees have their leaves, and then turn bright orange very early autumn. (They are bright orange now... the rest of the trees are green)

Bit of a change from last week - just had to scrape ice off the car. 🥶

This.
Last year was the real anomaly with leaves dropping due to drought stress.
It's forecast to be a spectacular one this year.

Climate change is real and terrifying but I try not to spoil the seasons for myself by obsessing over changes and patterns that are really only obvious from proper scientific observation. Years have always varied in season change and weather. About 8 years ago I have photos of a scorching hot Halloween.