NASA Earth Observatory · Monday, September 14, 2026
Landsat 9 shows early fall color across Nunavut tundra
The File desk · Sep 14, 2026, 10:20 AM UTC
Status
Confirmed from NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day, Sept. 14, 2026.
Fall color arrived early in far northern Canada. NASA’s Earth Observatory Image of the Day for Sept. 14 shows reds, yellows, and oranges already sweeping across low shrubs and tundra along the Coppermine River in Nunavut, upriver of Kugluktuk. The paired Landsat 9 images compare July 27, when the same area was still green, with Sept. 6, when autumn color is visible. The Observatory notes that foliage in the region often begins to change in early September and peaks mid-month — among the first places on the continent to turn.
Fall color arrived early in far northern Canada.
NASA’s Earth Observatory Image of the Day for Sept. 14 shows reds, yellows, and oranges already sweeping across low shrubs and tundra along the Coppermine River in Nunavut, upriver of Kugluktuk.
The paired pictures come from the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 9. One is July 27, when the same ground was still green. The other is Sept. 6, when autumn color is in.
The Observatory says a NASA and South Dakota State University look at seven years of satellite data found that foliage there begins to change in early September and peaks in mid-month. That makes this one of the first places on the North American continent to turn. Peak color in the far north can last a week or less.
Michala Garrison made the Earth Observatory images.
What is still unknown or disputed
- None material beyond the Image of the Day caption.
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
An Early Look at Fall Color in Canada
NASA Science / Earth Observatory · September 14, 2026
Image of the Day for September 14, 2026; Landsat 9 OLI images July 27 and Sept. 6, 2026, Coppermine River / Kugluktuk area; early tundra color. NASA and South Dakota State University analysis: foliage begins to change in early September and peaks mid-month.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/an-early-look-at-fall-color-in-canada/