Warm Weather Brings Early Blooms, Allergies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Punxsutawney Phil called for an early spring just two weeks ago – and maybe the marmot was onto something.

As temperatures boom, trees and flowers are starting to bloom well ahead of schedule. Plaza Midwood resident Cory Kessler is noticing the early arrival of spring on his own property.

“The flowers along our driveway are blooming and they usually don’t bloom until April.”

Despite us being in the heart of winter, multiple runs of highs 10-20° above average with freezing nights few and far between are leading to springy sights across the Carolinas.

The newfound natural color is a boon for spring-lovers like Jason McAuliffe across the Queen City…

“Spring all day long… I’d be in shorts today if I could find them.”

But a bane for those suffering from allergies – like his children.

“Our kids are starting to sneeze and they have to take Zyrtec every day.”

Pollen counts are already on the rise with no signs of slowing down anytime soon – and the yellow accumulations bound to show up on your car over the next few months will dwarf those of the white and wintry variety. It’s now been 746 days – over two years – since the Charlotte area last saw a snowflake.

But your sled that’s been collecting dust all this time probably didn’t need a reminder.

As we close in on a second-straight flake-free winter, Charlotteans are rightfully wondering if snow days are a thing of the past.

“Our daughter’s only seen snow once in her life,” says Hannah Kessler. “We had to go up to Beech Mountain the other day to see snow. She might not ever see it again. That’s definitely sad.”

Early blooms also expose trees and flowers to damage when it inevitably freezes again this winter. On average, our last freeze of the year in Charlotte comes by the first week of April.