Litterst said he has noticed a connection between warmer temperatures and earlier peak bloom. “And when you look at how mild this winter has been, and the fact that we’ve had zero snow or frozen precipitation this year, it’s not a surprise that we’re seeing this.” “Heat is what partially drives trees like that to blossom,” Litterst said. Several Japanese plum trees, for instance, which are usually the earliest flowering trees, already blossomed around the National Mall in late January. And warm winters cause plants and trees to blossom early. Here's why that's not a good thingīut with the rise of planet-warming pollution, temperatures are getting warmer. (Kendall Warner /The Virginian-Pilot via AP) Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot/AP And the blooming period itself could last several days - it all depends on the weather.Ī woman walks through blooming cherry blossom trees at Lafayette Park in Norfolk on Tuesday, Feb. According to the National Park Service, Yoshino trees usually reach peak bloom between the last week of March and the first week of April. Peak bloom varies each year depending on weather conditions. “We’re about a month out from that, but given what we’ve seen so far, and given what the forecast is, I think we’re probably looking at something earlier than that.” “All indications are it’s going to be earlier than average,” Litterst told CNN. NPS photo #Cherryblossom #BloomWatch #NationalMall #WashingtonDC /pbjqjjCY0Q- National Mall NPS February 23, 2023 It's happening! Small green buds are on the Yoshino cherry trees, marking the first of six stages on the way to peak bloom. Michael Litterst, communications chief for National Mall and Memorial Parks with the National Park Service, said he believes that date is “certainly in play this year.” The earliest peak bloom on record was in March 15, 1990. Over the past century, the historical average peak bloom date at the Tidal Basin has been April 4, but records show it’s been coming earlier than usual in recent decades. That can only mean one thing: Spring (and cherry blossom season) is coming early.Įxperts said this year could be a record-breaking early bloom, as temperatures soar way above average for February. This year the indicator tree already started budding - the first stage of the bloom cycle - in the middle of February. Tucked among the thousands of iconic Yoshino cherry trees at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, is the “ indicator tree,” which erupts into full bloom as much as 10 days earlier than its neighbors and gives officials at the National Park Service a good idea when the rest of them might begin to flower.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |