On the 27th today, the Japan Meteorological Association announced the ‘2024 Cherry Blossom Blooming Forecast (6th edition)’. Due to the cold rain continuing in March due to the influence of cold air, the growth of cherry blossoms has stalled. It is predicted that cherry blossoms will bloom in Tokyo on the delayed date of 29th, more than two weeks later than last year’s blooming on March 14th, and in Osaka, it is predicted to bloom on the 31st. In various regions of western and eastern Japan too, cherry blossoms are expected to bloom significantly later than last year, and many points are likely to be more than 3 days later than usual. However, around this weekend, from the 30th to the 31st, summer-like warmth approaching 25°C is expected in some areas. Therefore, even in areas of western and eastern Japan where cherry blossoms have been delayed, they are likely to bloom and reach full bloom rapidly at this timing. In Wakayama, the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms in the southern town of Kozagawa are in full bloom, with about 200 Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms designated as a natural monument by the country around the ‘Iwazan’ in Kozagawa blooming rapidly this week, reaching 80% bloom as of the morning of the 27th. However, the blooming in Wakayama Prefecture is predicted to be the same as Osaka Prefecture, on the 31st. This is because flowering forecasts for each region are determined using specimen trees designated by local meteorological observatories.

今日27日、日本気象協会は「2024年桜開花・満開予想(第6回)」を発表しました。3月は寒気の影響で冷たい雨が続いたため桜の生長は足踏み、東京は昨年3月14日の開花より2週間以上遅い29日に開花予想、大阪は31日の予想だそうです。西日本・東日本の各地でも、開花が昨年より大幅に遅れるところが多く、平年と比べても3日以上遅くなる地点が多く出てきそうです。ただ、今週末30日～31日ごろにかけては、ところによっては最高気温が25℃に迫るような初夏の陽気も予想されています。そのため、開花が遅れていた西日本・東日本の各地も、このタイミングで一気に開花、そして満開と進みそうです。和歌山では、南部の古座川町でソメイヨシノの桜が見頃を迎えていて、国の天然記念物に指定されている岩山、「古座川の一枚岩」周辺のおよそ２００本のソメイヨシノが今週に入って一気に開花し、２７日朝には８分咲きとなっているそうです。しかし、和歌山県の開花は大阪府と同じ、31日が予想されています。各地の開花予想は各地の気象台が指定した標本木で決めるからです。