I find it very interesting that even though I live very far south of Helsinki (in Missouri in the USA) our trees seem to display their autumn colors about the same time as your trees do.

Frank,

there are three good reasons for your observation. The first is the fact, that autumn 2007 was much warmer than an average in Helsinki and therefore that caused a delay to autumn colours.

Secondly especially those silver and red species are the ones shedding their leaves typically very late. Different species shed their leaves in very different times. During that date trees were in general more than halfway through naked from leaves in southern Finland and in Helsinki, but in the way of the photo there were yet locally very leafy trees and shrubs.

The third factor influencing in this matter may well be the fact, that Helsinki is locating in much less continental climate than Missouri (it shows, when for example comparing the two locations from a map). In other words autumn proceeds slower in Helsinki and your faster proceeding autumn is often catching up Helsinki's autumn later during the season.

This is why this photo's autumn colours may resemble so much your autumn colours at the same point of time.

Amazing, beautiful colours! Autumn in moderate climate is the best and the most diversified.
Kaunis valokuva. Minä pidän varsinkin tästä pienestä, punaista puuta. Ihana!
:D