Powerful winds blasting the Northeast have downed numerous trees since thestart of the weekend. The most famous one of these fallen trees is the NationalChristmas Tree in Washington, D.C.The tree came down shortly before 11 a.m. EST Saturday. No one sufferedinjuries.
Right around the time the tree fell, winds had gusted to 40 mph at nearbyReagan National Airport.
Earlier in the day, about 20 minutes after 8 a.m., winds peaked at 53 mph.
Winds have been howling across the Northeast since a strong cold front sweptthrough Friday night and erased the recent unseasonable warmth.
In 2008, the National Christmas Tree, was illuminated during a ceremonyattended by then-President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush onThursday, Dec. 4. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)The National Christmas Tree sits just south of the White House on the Ellipse,transplanted to there from York, Pa., in 1978.
The tree's official website states it was 15 years old and stood 30-feet tallwhen it arrived in Washington, D.C. Prior to being blown down today, theColorado blue spruce had grown to almost 42 feet.
A spokesman for the National Park Service told the Washington Post that asuccessor tree had already been picked, since it was assumed the current treecould come down at any time. The new tree will arrive within the next fewweeks.
The previous two National Christmas Trees also succumbed to high winds.
