As a huge snow storm barreled up the east coast of the United States, in Washington DC, it was the world famous Japanese cherry blossoms that took a hit.

Usually in March, Washington DC’s Tidal Basin looks like spring during the so-called peak week of the cherry blossoms. Over 3,000 trees gifted by Japan, in full bloom, are viewed by more than a million tourists. Now, there’s little pink and, instead, white everywhere. The US National Park Service says this is unprecedented.

Each year, organizers put together a festival to mark the blossoms’ expected peak. The boom in tourism provides a major source of revenue for the city. Because of unseasonably warmer temperatures in February, officials say, the date this year was moved up to this week. Many would-be spectators arranged to come by car, train and plane, but got snowed out.

The annual DC Cherry Blossom festival coincides with the start of spring. Vendors were all ready to make hamburgers, but there’s nobody here to serve them to.

Two friends, one from Vancouver, the other from Beijing, said they’re used to snow, so that didn’t stop them. It’s still unclear if Washington’s famous buds will fully blossom or die off.

“Blossoms have been damaged and ultimately are probably going to die earlier than they would,” Mike Litterst, spokesman for the US Nation Park Service, said.