We were developing beautiful Autumn colour here as recently as last weekend, but the recent windy days knocked a large percentage of the leaves off the trees along with the rain (which we didn't get a huge amount of, just 33.6mm over 4 days). Luckily, there is still about 30% to 40% of the foliage that is still green and starting to turn now. In a week or so it will be round 2 for Autumn colour and it will probably be even better than round 1 because some of the most spectacular trees are just starting to turn, eg. Liquidambar, Japanese Maple, Elms, and others.
We have a small Chinese Pistachio tree here that is just starting to turn now and that has spectacular bright red foliage most years. A lot of trees in our garden that are usually quite early are only halfway there atm, especially the Callery pear and
Parottia persica but also Berberis and smokebush. We also have a Dogwood, Japanese birch and Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' that have lost all their leaves or are past their peak and the peak colour was in early to mid April so it varies between species.
Traditionally Anzac Day is supposed to be the peak for Autumn colour here but from my experience it is usually more like early to mid May. Even in the parts of eastern USA at similar latitudes to VIC the peak autumn colour is reported to be early to mid November so it is normal to still have a lot of trees green but ready to change now. The wind is the main concern because most years it starts to get a bit windy from, late April onwards and the majority of years see what we are observing atm, i.e.significant leaf fall.
FWIW, in the inner urban heat jungle there is hardly any autumn colour at all despite a large number of elms, plane trees, a few gingkos here and there etc. It is about 90% green and many leaves just going brown. It should yellow up a bit through May but it is a pretty depressing scene really, all those deciduous trees for nothing.
If you want to see a real spectacle, head up to Heathcote where there is a 'forest' of Liquidambars close to the centre of town. They were quite spectacular last weekend and would be even better now.
Anyway, back to weather related discussion. Looks like a shower or two here tonight but nothing much, and then a cold day tomorrow but it should be sunny and light winds as the day progresses so not too bad. Monday morning should see frosts inland. The front on Tuesday looks half decent with 5-10mm for central and southern VIC.
I could see the stream of showers over you for ages.
Dont know what the temp got down to because my thermo has gone bung. I see it was 0.0C at 7am in Trentham.