When Will DC's Cherry Blossoms Hit Peak Bloom? The Official Prediction Is Out
It's one of the great American traditions each spring – the cherry blossoms hitting peak bloom along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. And finally, we have an idea for when it'll happen in 2025.
So if you're planning a trip to the National Mall, or you just want to see the awe-inspiring sight from afar via EarthCam's webcam, read on.
(MORE: Our March Temperature Outlook Has Been Updated)
March 28-31, to be exact. That's when the National Park Service projects the Tidal Basin's cherry blossom display to be in peak bloom, according to an announcement made Thursday.
Peak bloom is reached when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open. If the projections are correct, it will happen toward the midpoint of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which spans from March 20 through April 13 this year.
Once the trees hit peak bloom, they'll stay that way for about 10 days, according to FOX5 D.C.
Yes. Yes it can. In fact, extreme temperatures have pushed the blooms as early as March 15 in 1990 and as late as April 18 in 1958, the NPS said. Warmer weather can push the blooms earlier in the calendar, while prolonged cold weather would have the opposite effect.
A year ago, peak bloom started on March 17, FOX5 D.C. reported.
Additionally, extreme cold can significantly reduce those beautiful blooms if the flower buds sustain widespread damage, and extreme warmth can shorten the length of peak bloom.
Hope for an absence of severe storms, too – strong winds and heavy rain can knock the petals off the trees, especially if it happens after peak bloom, according to Cherry Blossom Watch.
Climate change is also working against the trees in the long-term. Warmer temperatures are believed to be moving bloom dates earlier, and tidal flooding is worsening with sea-level rise, which makes it more likely that the revered trees will be imperiled more frequently in the coming decades, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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