National Christmas Tree toppled by strong winds near White House

Gusty winds knocked over the National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. on Tuesday afternoon, according to The Washington Post.

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The tree went down a little more than 48 hours before the annual lighting ceremony, the National Park Service said. Winds at the time were forecast to blow up to 20 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

“As the saying goes, ‘the show must go on’ and the NPS and our event partners are looking at all possibilities to ensure a successful event this year,” the park service said after the tree toppled over.

According to WUSA, a crane was moved into place Tuesday afternoon to try and lift the already-decorated tree. By 6 p.m., the tree was upright again.

The tree that was knocked over was a replacement of the original National Christmas Tree. The first tree developed a fungal disease and had to be replaced.

The current tree is a 40-foot Norway spruce from Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.

The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony tradition began on Christmas Eve in 1923.