Early spring threatens Skagit tulip festival
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - Western Washington's spring-like February weather could put a hitch in one of the region's biggest spring celebrations.
The tulips in the Skagit Valley are already popping out of the ground - getting ready to erupt - weeks before the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
Lush daffodil blossoms already are in bloom everywhere, fooled by the exceptionally early spring weather, above-average temperatures and sunny skies.
"You can see these ones are opening up, they are just started to pop," says Bent Roozen of Roozengarde.
He says daffodils are a reliable sign of nature's spring schedule.
"If the daffodils are early there is usually a good chance the tulips are going to be early," he says.
Out in the tulip fields, millions of sprouting tulips just waiting to put on their yearly show.
Gary and Colleen Riel drove up to Skagit County from Bellevue on Thursday. They have guests coming for the big Tulip Festival in April.
"We wanted to make sure it was in bloom when our relatives came out," says Gary Riel.
But tulip farmers told him the tulips could start showing their color as soon as the last week of March this year. That's much earlier then last year, when tulips delayed blooming until April 17.
"That was the latest date that they had started blooming ever," says Cindy Verge of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
The worry is that the tulips could come too early - and be gone before the festival is over.
"We specifically went to the month-long festival so that we'll have tulips sometime during the month of April," Verge explains.
Roozen is still hoping a cold snap will slow down the tulips until thousands of expected bloom-lovers show up for the festival.
The Riels says their relatives are ready to change their plans if they have too.
"We're all retired so we're very flexible," says Colleen Riel.
And apparently so are the tulips.
So anyone who wants to take in the color of the tulips in the Skagit Valley may have to head up here a little early.
The tulips in the Skagit Valley are already popping out of the ground - getting ready to erupt - weeks before the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
Lush daffodil blossoms already are in bloom everywhere, fooled by the exceptionally early spring weather, above-average temperatures and sunny skies.
"You can see these ones are opening up, they are just started to pop," says Bent Roozen of Roozengarde.
He says daffodils are a reliable sign of nature's spring schedule.
"If the daffodils are early there is usually a good chance the tulips are going to be early," he says.
Out in the tulip fields, millions of sprouting tulips just waiting to put on their yearly show.
Gary and Colleen Riel drove up to Skagit County from Bellevue on Thursday. They have guests coming for the big Tulip Festival in April.
"We wanted to make sure it was in bloom when our relatives came out," says Gary Riel.
But tulip farmers told him the tulips could start showing their color as soon as the last week of March this year. That's much earlier then last year, when tulips delayed blooming until April 17.
"That was the latest date that they had started blooming ever," says Cindy Verge of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
The worry is that the tulips could come too early - and be gone before the festival is over.
"We specifically went to the month-long festival so that we'll have tulips sometime during the month of April," Verge explains.
Roozen is still hoping a cold snap will slow down the tulips until thousands of expected bloom-lovers show up for the festival.
The Riels says their relatives are ready to change their plans if they have too.
"We're all retired so we're very flexible," says Colleen Riel.
And apparently so are the tulips.
So anyone who wants to take in the color of the tulips in the Skagit Valley may have to head up here a little early.