4.9.2008 10:24 AM

Cherry Blossoms Arrive Earlier

The Tell-Tale Sign of Spring Has Shifted Its Arrival Date in Japan

Cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo.

Photo: Katsumi Kasahara / AP Photo

By Annie Bell Muzaurieta

A survey by the Japanese Meteorological Agency has found that the blooming season of cherry blossom trees across Japan has become earlier by an average of 4.2 days over the past 50 years, according to an article in Mainichi Daily News. Global warming has apparently caused this shift.

The agency analyzed data collected at its local meteorological observatories and weather stations across the nation between 1953 and 2004, according to the article.

USA Today reported that the Tokyo area had one of its earliest seasons ever last year.

Hiroko Morooka, a Meteorological Agency official, was quoted: "Cherry blossoms bloom earlier in relation to a rise in temperature, and this temperature increase is related to global warming. So there is an indirect connection."

Tokyo's climate has seen a significant change in recent years. The average temperature during winter months in Tokyo from 1971 through 2000 was 44 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Meteorological Agency. From December 2006 to February 2007, the average temperature was 47.5 Fahrenheit - more than 3 degrees higher.

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