The blossoms of about two dozen cherry trees on the median of Towlston Road, between Leesburg Pike and Wolf Trap National Park, had already bloomed by the first day of 2007. Normally, cherry trees bloom in late March or early April.
For the blooms to appear in the middle of winter, said Fairfax County Park Authority naturalist Meghan Fellows, is "pretty unusual."
"It's not typical, and it's not in the best interest of the plant. Obviously, there are no pollinators around," said Fellows. She noted that crocuses and some varieties of vines and shrubs have also begun blooming in the area as a result of an unusually warm December. Fellows said it is unlikely that the cherry trees will blossom again in the spring, although it is possible that not all of the trees' flowers bloomed early.
According to National Weather Service data, last month is tied with December of 1994 for the title of 10th warmest December on record at Reagan National Airport. The records extend back to 1871, but only three of the 11 warmest Decembers on record occurred before 1970. About half occurred in the last 20 years.
Last month, Reagan Airport recorded 21 consecutive days with daily average temperatures above the norm.
— Mike DiCicco