Photo by D Rob

Today we enter day four of our freakish late-winter heat wave. While few will complain of the glorious temperatures and ample sunshine, there’s something off-putting about this type of weather—and that it could end up lasting close to two weeks. There’s a number of ways this weather is affecting us and our habits. Here’s a few:

Cherry Blossoms: If you’re a tourist and had planned a trip to see the city’s famed cherry blossoms reach peak bloom from March 24-28, you better reschedule that trip—yesterday the National Park Service moved the peak bloom up to March 20-23. The sooner-than-expected bloom has other unintended consequences—the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which celebrates its centennial this year, will likely take place after the cherry blossoms have peaked.

Allergies and Claritin’s Profit Margins: Related to the early blooming, people who suffer from allergies are in substantially more pain than usual for this time of the year. According to the Capital Weather Gang, pollen is up—way up. “Over the last three days, the tree pollen count has risen from 33 grains per cubic meter Monday to 129 Tuesday to 225 today. Levels have averaged well above normal since mid-February,” it wrote yesterday. You may be sniffling and tearing up, but the folks behind Claritin are celebrating.

Indoor Temperatures: I was sitting in the Southeast Library on Capitol Hill yesterday, and some of patrons complained that the building was stuffy. There wasn’t much the librarians could do, though—the city’s library system doesn’t turn on the A/C until May. My guess is that many agencies, institutions and groups that operate out of aging buildings are suffering the same fate. (Heaven forbid you’re a teacher in an old building.) On this plus side for most homeowners and renters, your March heating bill is likely to be way lower than usual.

Productivity: Raise your hand if you’ve taken an extra long lunch break this week. Raise your hand if you’ve spent otherwise productive minutes staring out the window, longing for the chance to escape the confines of your stuffy office. (See above.) Surprised that anything is getting done in town these days? We certainly are.

Editorial Judgement: For those of us that write on a daily basis, the changing weather means swapping out all of our time-tested winter-related phrases and puns for ones that better reflect the warming weather. (It also means rushing to complete weather-specific posts we had planned for the later months: The 25 best places to frolic outside with your pet will have to come way sooner than expected.) Also, expect far more pictures of flowers blooming, adults frolicking outside with their adorable pets, and the such.

Bars and Restaurants: Most bars and restaurants with outdoor seating don’t often plan for a mid-March rush, but that’s exactly what they’ve gotten. A bike ride across town found just about every outdoor patio, deck and sidewalk cafe packed with winter-weary residents, likely a month ahead of what many restaurateurs predicted. (Standard on 14th Street is even more impossible than usual.) Given that this Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day, it’s going to be a glorious clusterf**k around town this weekend.

Rooftop Decks: We’ve heard that buildings with rooftop decks are opening them far sooner than usual. Can you blame them, especially older buildings with centrally controlled air and heat?

Wardrobes: Most of us haven’t looked at shorts, sandals and short-sleeved shirts for a while. Now suddenly the things aren’t only desirable, but also somewhat necessary. The downside? Very little transition time for the pasty-skinned among us.

Love and Lust: Tied to the three things above, warmer weather means more lovin’. Well, at least that’s what Elle magazine found: “Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (MSH) has been linked to increased sex drive in women, and exposure to sunlight elevates the production and secretion of this substance.” Hot.

Traffic and Commuting: It’s suddenly a fantastic idea to walk or bike to work. But drivers are being forced to adapt to more cyclists being on the road (Capital Bikeshare saw 6,313 rides on Wednesday, a new record),while bike shops are dealing with an influx of patrons who want their bikes tuned up after a winter of sitting on the porch or locked up to a street sign. Note to cyclists: if you expect quick turnaround on that tune-up, I’ve got a bridge to nowhere to sell you.

Coffee- and Beer-Drinking Habits: That latte seems far less appetizing now, doesn’t it? Get me a grande frappuccino, hold the sugar but with extra whipped cream! And how about that burly winter seasonal you so loved when it was 30 degrees out? Pass a Bud Light Lime!