Leaf Out?

26 April 2012
9:55 PM

Sunrise at	5:33 AM	in direction	54°	Northeast
Sunset at	10:06 PM	in direction	307°	Northwest

Duration of day: 16 hours, 32 minutes (6 minutes, 58 seconds longer than yesterday)

As I drove into work today, I noticed a perceptible change in the top story of the trees.  Have you seen that some fabrics, when they shed particles create fine, light fluff balls?  The tops of the trees looked that way this morning.  All around the tops, it appeared soft and fuzzy.

I have wondered what causes that impression, because when I look at the trees closely, all seems crisp and distinct.  The buds are still formed tightly in their bud casing, although some green may be releasing every so slightly.  The edge of the new leaves are hard, pale green, not even unfurfled, but slightfly visible.  While the willows and others shrubs may have soft fuss preceding the formation of buds and leaves, birch and aspen don't.  The buds form cleanly as do many deciduous trees.

I remember one year watching the trees move toward leaf out in Denver.  It took well over a month.  The bud formed, but on the High Plains right up next to the Rocky Mountains, it may be light and warm early and the sap is flowing, but snow storms can come in at any time over the spring.  Snow can fall in between warm intervals through June.  The trees there will take their time.  Here in Alaska, there seems to be a clear demarcation between the last of winter spring and true spring.  The trees know it and this year, if my observations are correct, will be the earliest leaf out since I have been here, even earlier than 2007.

I wish I had a camera.