With 0.44” of rain this week, conditions are basically near normal for the end of September.  Assuming the nor’easter currently underway drops as much rain as predicted and we should be mildly to moderately wet for next week’s report.  The Pascoag Reservoir is currently at 8’8” but should rise this week.  Trails at Sprague Farm and Douglas State Forest were typically dry this week.  Douglas Forest was particularly busy with hikers and bikers yesterday that were trying to beat the storm.  On the hike we could see that a few trees are turning color, but very few.  We’re probably still a couple of weeks away from real color. Also, crows were flocking and squawking in really large numbers during the hike, they were clearly upset and knew the storm was approaching.  It was almost like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.  Most people pulled their boats from the Pascoag Reservoir this week in anticipation of the storm.  It will be interesting to see how many come back for the couple of weeks before the dam is opened for the season.  Fire danger at George Washington state campground is still posted as Low.