Japanese weather observatories say cherry trees in three major cities in Hokkaido have started blooming earlier than usual in all the cities.
In Sapporo City, the local observatory made the announcement on Saturday after observing at least nine flowers on the benchmark tree of the Somei-yoshino variety in the city.
It says the blossoming season in Sapporo began five days earlier than last year, and 13 days before the average date. It is the second-earliest since 1953, when the record-keeping began.
An official at the observatory says the flowers will be in full bloom in three to five days.
A fifth-grade girl who was visiting a park said she wants to come back with her family when the flowers are in full bloom.
Cherry blossom season has also started in Hakodate City. The local weather observatory has confirmed at least five flowers on its benchmark tree.
An observatory official says it came five days earlier than last year, 10 days earlier than the average date, and is the second-earliest on record.
In Obihiro City, a local weather station official declared the start of the blossoming the same day based on the flowering of the benchmark Sargent’s cherry variety.
It says blooms opened 10 days earlier than last year, 14 days earlier than the average date, and the earliest on record. They say warmer than the average temperatures since February apparently contributed.
AloJapan.com