BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The last day of astronomical winter certainly had a seasonal feel to it Sunday, with cold temperatures and gusty winds in the Lehigh Valley.
The high reached 37 degrees in Allentown, some 15 degrees below normal and 40 degrees off the record high of 77 for the date.
- Spring arrives at 5:24 p.m. on Monday
- The first few days of astronomical spring will be sunny and mild, forecasters say
- The countdown is on to Bethlehem's Cherry Blossom Festival taking place April 1
But as we enter the first day of spring, will Mother Nature play the part?
“It’s going to feel every bit of spring this week, so it’s definitely going to play the part at least heading into this upcoming weekend,” said EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich in his latest video forecast.
Martrich said Monday and Tuesday — the first full day of astronomical spring — will be pleasant, with widespread sunshine and milder temperatures.
“You’re going to struggle to find clouds in the sky,” said Martrich.
That pattern of warmer temperatures should carry through much of the week, though the long-term features an unsettled period.
“Once we get to Wednesday, skies are going to become mostly cloudy and we have a system moving towards us,” he said. “We’re going to be dealing with a lot more clouds than sun for the remainder of the forecast period.”
Some of those days will bring precipitation, with a chance of showers from Wednesday night through Thursday and into the day on Friday.
Saturday also looks to be a rainy day, Martrich said, while noting the back half of the weekend looks clear.
“There is a chance [temperatures] slightly step back at the end of the week,” he said.
Bethlehem’s cherry blossoms also play the part
Cherry blossoms have started to open across the region, and they’re just in time for Bethlehem’s Cherry Blossom Festival.
The event will be held on Saturday, April 1, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Garden of Serenity next to the Bethlehem Area Public Library at Payrow Plaza.
The festival spotlights the Sakura (cherry blossom) trees that surround Bethlehem’s City Hall. It’s timed to coincide with the opening of the blossoms, which varies year-to-year with the weather.
At the festival, visitors can:
- Participate in a tea ceremony
- Try their hand at calligraphy
- Create Japanese origami
- Sample Japanese festival food
- Pound rice into a sweet treat with a giant wooden mallet
- Have their picture taken in a kimono or yukata
Festival organizers also hope to have a performance from Shumei of America’s taiko drumming group from the Shumei Center in Lyons Station, Pa.
