D.C. cherry trees may bloom 3 weeks early

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The city’s colorful cherry trees are expected to bloom about three weeks earlier than usual as spring arrives almost a month early in many U.S. cities.

Crocuses, tulips and other plants are popping up in Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and other cities about 20 days earlier than in 2012, which was the earliest spring on record.

On Wednesday, the National Park Service predicted that Washington’s cherry blossoms will reach peak bloom March 14-17. Peak bloom is when 70 percent of the blossoms of the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin are in bloom.

According to the Park Service, which has tracked the blooms since 1921, peak bloom typically occurs April 4, but it has occurred as early as March 15 and as late as April 18.

The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang expects that peak bloom will occur slightly later, March 15-19, based on weather forecasts and the current state of the trees, which are beginning to show buds.

This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, which includes a kite festival and parade, is scheduled for March 25 through April 9, weeks after the Tidal Basin blossoms are expected to peak.

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Phenology Network, which studies seasonal signs, have calculated local and a national spring index based on observations of lilacs, honeysuckles and temperature records that are fed into a computer model.

The spring leaf index goes back to 1900 and 2012 has been the earliest on record.

Preliminary records show this year ahead of 2012 in a good chunk of the nation, but it’s still too early to draw a conclusion for the country, said University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee scientist Mark D. Schwartz and phenology network director Jake Weltzin.