DC's Cherry Blossoms To Peak 10 Days Early, Forecasters Predict

WASHINGTON, DC — Winter is quickly coming to an end across the region, and one group of forecasters is predicting that Washington, D.C.'s famed Yoshino cherry blossoms will reach peak bloom early this year.

While the National Park Service has yet to release its official prediction, the Capital Weather Gang at the Washington Post said Tuesday that this winter's abnormally mild weather will likely cause the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin to reach peak bloom between March 19 and 23 — about 10 days earlier than normal and one of the earliest peak blooms on record.

The record for the earliest bloom was set on March 15, 1990.

"Such an early bloom fits into recent trends fueled by human-caused climate change," the Capital Weather Gang said in its forecast. "The average peak has advanced about six days over the last century, from April 4 to March 30. Each of the last four years has seen peak bloom before March 29."

Last year, peak bloom was on March 23, according to the website Cherry Blossom Watch. That's more than a week early.

Peak bloom is declared by the National Park Service when 70 percent of the cherry blossoms are open. The Yoshino trees typically bloom for several days, and the length of the blooming period depends on weather conditions. Cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, but a rainy, windy day can bring it to an abrupt end by stripping the delicate petals from the trees.

The Capital Weather Gang's peak bloom prediction begins before the start of the National Cherry Blossom Festival which runs from March 20 to April 14.