How Early Is Spring In Your Neighborhood?

Bloodroot blooming at Duck Hollow, 4 April 2020 (photo by Kate St. John)

7 April 2020

If you live in the southern or eastern U.S., spring leaf out has come 10 to 20 days early this year. The anomalies are evident in dark red on yesterday’s National Phenology Network map (USANPN).

Spring is at least 10 days early in Pittsburgh. I’ve noticed yellow buckeye trees (Aesculus flava) on the south-facing slopes are in full leaf, …

Yellow buckeye in full leaf, Schenley Park, 4 April 2020 (photo by Kate St. John)

… choke cherries and crabapples are in full bloom, …

… and the willows glow with pale green leaves in Schenley Park.

Pale green willow trees in Schenley Park, 5 April 2020 (photo by Kate St. John)

Interestingly, a few places in the Midwest and south central Great Plains have a slightly delayed spring (blue on the map). It all depends on where you live.

Spring Leaf Index as of 6 Apr 2020 (animation from USA National Phenology Network)

How early is spring in your neighborhood?

(photos by Kate St. John, maps from USA National Phenology Network)

3 thoughts on “How Early Is Spring In Your Neighborhood?

  1. Spring? Our weather still involves a four letter word named Snow! There is still a foot of white stuff on the ground in the deep Boreal forest of northern Minnesota. However, in the open we are now snow free. Ice out for area lakes is still weeks in the future.

    1. Richard, oh my! Thanks for giving us the perspective from Minnesota. Stay warm.

  2. I saw willows turning yellow in Homewood Cemetery about 2 weeks ago. My snowdrops were out early Feb.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *