COLUMBUS — Unless Ohio receives rain soon, it's likely that the fall foliage season will start sooner and provide a less colorful show than usual.

        “We could use some more rain. If we get some more, it could have an effect,” said Bill Schultz, fall color specialist for the Ohio Division of Forestry.

        Only in the Dust Bowl years of 1934 and 1936 were the months from June through August hotter nationwide than this summer, the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., reported Friday.

        The center said moderate to extreme drought affected more than 45 percent of the nation during the past three months.

        In Ohio, the current dry conditions are comparable to fall 1999. “Everybody was predicting brownness and early droppage, but we got a little rain in September, and it all worked out,” Mr. Schultz said.

        Jeff Johnson, preserve manager at Conkle's Hollow and Rockbridge, two popular foliage-viewing areas in the Hocking Hills in Southeast Ohio, said even a good rainfall or two may not help.

        “We are at a point that rain isn't going to make much difference,” he said. “It's to the point that trees aren't going to be able to use it.”

        Even if there are warm, sunny days, cool nights and plenty of rain in the next few weeks, the Hocking Hills' foliage season won't rank with the best and brightest, Mr. Johnson said.

        “A lot of the leaves are getting a yellow tinge now and dropping. Some are dropping green. We will have a slightly earlier peak and not as vibrant reds, and more yellows and browns.

        “There's no doubt we'll still have color, but it won't be as good,” he said.

        In Northwest Ohio, the situation is the same.

        Jamie Murphy, manager for state nature preserves in that area, said conditions are so dry that the ground is cracked in places and many trees are dropping green or prematurely yellow leaves.

        The foliage peak in that area typically comes a week or two ahead of Southeast Ohio.

        “The precipitation has been so low I don't think they're going to hang on very long. I think we'd need a solid month of rain for these guys to catch up,” Ms. Murphy said.

        Mr. Schultz remains optimistic, saying that in the 16 years he's been monitoring Ohio's fall foliage, he can't remember a bad year.

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