BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Cherry blossom petals showed brilliant color around Bethlehem City Hall and many other parts of the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday — a bloom that historically occurs in early to mid-April.
But if Mother Nature has anything to say about it, it could be an abbreviated peak bloom for the cherry blossoms in the region.
Sometimes the peak can last up to a week or even longer, experts say. And the cherry blossoms certainly were helped along on March 29 as the area hit 82 degrees.
It was our first 80-degree day of the year, and came about a month ahead of schedule compared with the spring 2024. (The area didn’t hit 80 or above last year until April 29, when the temperature soared to 88 degrees).
But a cold front quickly followed and sent temperatures plummeting back into the 50s.
An unfavorable pattern
Cherry blossoms are susceptible to wind and rain, and Monday evening brought nearly 2 inches of the latter.
The official rainfall measurement at the airport came to 1.79 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Unfortunately, there’s more where that came from.
The weather service said a modified Canadian air mass “will be advecting in off the cold ocean today, with a southeast breeze increasing to 10-15 mph by this afternoon, with gusts up to 25 mph.”
It means Wednesday will be a few degrees cooler than Tuesday in most areas, with a few showers and isolated thunderstorms possible for parts of the region Wednesday evening.
A warm front will send temperatures soaring back into the 70s, with some spots touching 80 on Thursday, the weather service said.
But it also will set the stage for another round of showers and thunderstorms late in the day and into the evening, dragging a cold front back into the region.
The Storm Prediction Center has the Lehigh Valley at a marginal risk of severe weather (1 out of 5) as a result.
Cherry Blossom Festival ahead
Bethlehem’s 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival seems appropriately timed, scheduled from 12 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, April 5, at the Garden of Serenity (next to Bethlehem Area Public Library) at Payrow Plaza.
After a record turnout last year, some booths will be moved to the rear of the garden to accommodate larger crowds, the event website states.
Unfortunately, the pattern isn’t particularly favorable for the cherry blossom festival — or for the blossoms to last.
A stalled front to the south will be hard to budge, the weather service said, with rain and drizzle at times, especially in the morning.
Sunday should see another warm air surge, bringing another severe weather opportunity.
“The bottom then drops out behind that system as a cold front brings a surge of cooler air, followed by a secondary surge of arctic air for Tuesday,” the NWS forecast discussion said.
It warns of widespread freezing conditions possible next Tuesday night, which could bring a quick end to peak bloom for the cherry blossoms.
