Spring blooms arrive weeks early as temperatures climb higher

Spring is arriving earlier this year, with flowers blossoming well ahead of their usual schedule. Scientists link the shift to rising temperatures, as ten of the last twelve months recorded above-average warmth. The changes are particularly noticeable in popular blooms like cherry blossoms, forsythia, and plum trees.

Plum blossoms opened unusually early this year. At the Seogwipo observatory, they appeared on January 17—27 days ahead of 2023 and 30 days earlier than average. This dramatic shift follows a broader trend of warmer springs.

Forsythia and azaleas are also flowering sooner than expected. Forsythia blooms are predicted from March 14 to March 30, about 3.9 days earlier than usual. Azaleas will likely appear from March 18 to March 28, roughly 4.5 days ahead of schedule. Cherry blossoms, a key indicator of spring, are set to bloom on March 31—eight days earlier than normal.

Data shows a clear connection between temperature and blossom times. For every 1 degree Celsius increase in spring warmth, flowers open around 4.1 days sooner. March 2024 averaged 6.9 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees above the norm. Compared to a century ago, forsythia now bloom 23 days earlier, cherry blossoms 21 days earlier, and plum blossoms a striking 53 days sooner.

The earlier blooms reflect a long-term pattern of warming springs. With temperatures continuing to climb, similar shifts in blossoming times are likely to persist. Researchers emphasise that these changes serve as visible markers of broader climate trends.