When will DC’s cherry blossoms reach peak bloom? Here’s what you need to know
The cherry blossom trees that line the Tidal Basin in D.C. will soon be blooming as hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to visit the nation’s capital to view them.
On Thursday, the National Park Service is expected to announce a projection for when the cherry blossoms will likely be in peak bloom.
Last year, the famed trees were at their best between March 23 and 26.
This year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place March 20 through April 13, starting with the Pink Tie Party on March 14 and ending with the annual parade April 12.
The 2024 festival drew in 1.6 million visitors, topping 2019’s pre-pandemic numbers.
How peak bloom is predicted
The blooming period when cherry blossom flowers are 70% open can last up to two weeks and is usually announced by the National Park Service.
The peak bloom date is based on long-term weather forecasts, historical records and the current appearance of the trees, National Park Service Superintendent of the National Mall Jeff Reinbold told WTOP last year.
Predicting peak bloom is not an exact science.
Six out of the past nine years, peak bloom has arrived earlier than the park service’s prediction. Over the past decade, the only time the park service nailed the prediction was last year, when the blossoms hit peak bloom March 23. The park service had predicted peak bloom between March 22 and March 25.
Warm temperatures can speed up the process, which consists of six stages.
By this time in 2023, D.C.’s Yoshino cherry trees had started to bud, the first stage in the emergence of the blossoms.