At what point will it be warm enough for the cicadas to come out?
"For the last 17 years, Brood X cicada nymphs (juveniles) have been hanging out underground and feeding off of tree roots. Generally, these nymphs live about two feet under the surface and cause little harm to the trees", Maryland's Department of Natural Resources says.
"The nymphs go through five developmental stages known as instars, and the fifth instar is the one that makes its way to the surface once soil temperatures reach around 64 degrees Fahrenheit several inches down."
The nearest official soil temperatures recorded come from Powder Mill, in Prince George's County. The ground there should be a bit warmer than it is here, so once it hits 64 there, that will give us a few-day's notice.
The cicadas emerge overnight, so the temperature has to be steady at 64 at night as well. In the past week, the ground at an 8 inch depth has dropped to 59 degrees on cooler nights and between 62 and 65 on warmer nights.
Temperatures over the next several days won't be above 64 for much of the time. Most days, the high will be in the 60s with lows in the 40s. This will delay the cicadas.
It takes one week for them to pop out of their shells following the 64-degree mark. Considering that a warm-up should happen beyond next week, the cicadas should come out in the final week or so of the month.
We will provide any updates on the situation, if needed.
