Mel Madarang
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Just when you thought you would finally see the cherry blossoms appear sometime this upcoming week, the peak bloom date has yet again been pushed back.
National Service Spokesperson Mike Litterst blamed this month’s temperatures, which have been colder than temperatures in February, for the delay.
“We’ve had 17 days so far this Month where the high temperature for the day has been below average, and all of that is sort of going in the mix in keeping the bloom process from being where it should be,” said Litterst.
Not even the indicator tree, which is said to generally bloom a week to ten days ahead of all the other trees, could prevent the peak bloom date’s unforeseen push back.
The indicator tree reached peak blossom on Thursday and would have indicated that the blossoms were to appear within the next week — the previous predicted dates before this push back.
Litterst said the weather forecast for the next ten days and beyond will not serve favorable conditions for the rest of the trees.
The last several years haven’t been helpful to setting a peak bloom date, as dates have ranged from March 25 to as late as April 10. The average peak bloom date based on the past several years, however, is April 3, according to Litterst.
Although April 8 through 12 seems late, Litterst said the latest bloom was recorded to be April 18, 1958.
“Everyone’s impatient for spring to get here, for the blossoms to get here. The process is unfolding the way it should, it’s just been really slowed down by these cold temperatures,” said Litterst.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival will still take place this weekend, with the new opening ceremony date scheduled for March 25.
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