Gusty winds on Tuesday caused the National Christmas tree, a 40-foot Norway spruce from Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, to topple near the White House. The National Park Service is optimistic that the tree lighting ceremony scheduled for Thursday will proceed as planned.

According to an email statement from the National Park Service to WTOP, the agency is currently assessing the fallen tree, which was brought down by a strong wind gust on November 28th. Despite this setback, the Christmas spirit remains high, and preparations for the tree lighting ceremony continue.

This year's National Christmas tree had already faced some challenges prior to the wind incident. Typically, these trees are planted, but due to last year's tree developing a fungal disease after being planted, the decision was made to place this year's tree in the park instead. The National Park Service cited time constraints as the reason for not planting the tree this year.

Local news cameras captured crews using a crane to lift the fallen tree and place it back in an upright position. The presence of a crane in front of the White House served as a testament to the recovery efforts.

Tuesday's cold snap, accompanied by northwest winds between 10 to 20 mph and gusts of up to 35 mph, made it feel even colder. 7News First Alert meteorologists classified the day as a "cold alert" day. Despite the frigid conditions, the dedication to relighting the National Christmas tree remains steadfast.

The nation eagerly awaits Thursday's tree lighting ceremony, where the National Christmas tree will once again be the centerpiece of holiday celebrations near the White House. Although faced with adversity, the National Park Service and the American people are determined to keep the Christmas spirit alive during this festive season.