YAKIMA, Wash. -- Fresh cherry pie on the Fourth of July? Perhaps not on the East Coast this year, and consumers can blame freezing spring temperatures in the Northwest.

An April cold snap damaged pockets of the five-state cherry region, and farmers are estimating their crop will be down 15 percent to 20 percent this year.

Even more significant: The harvest will fall later in the season, which could make it more difficult for East Coast supermarkets to get a full supply in time for the midsummer holiday.

Sweet cherries are grown on 52,000 acres in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah.

Northwest growers harvested a record 147,800 tons in 2006, then nearly matched that a year later.

This year, the crop is estimated at 120,290 tons.