Why the leaves hanging around?

On a morning walk this week I had to do a double take when the narrow path meandered its way to canopy of total green. The stubborn maples sheltered in a low area from the cold winds still had their green leaves with all their glory of mid-summer. It truly was a surreal moment for late November when the temperatures were in the mid 20’s. So why are the leaves still on the trees so late in the autumn season. September and October were the 3rd warmest months on record with September 4 degrees normal above and October 7 degrees above normal. As we transitioned into November with finally more fall like autumn conditions the chlorophyll which breaks down the green color on trees was lagging behind. So keep your rakes within reach the next couple of weeks.