Spring is on the way! Peak bloom date announced for Washington's famed cherry blossoms
By InsideNova Staff
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The iconic cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin and National Mall are expected to hit “peak bloom” between March 28 through March 31 this year.
The National Park Service unveiled its prediction -- a much-awaited announcement in the D.C. area each year -- late Thursday morning.
Peak bloom is defined as the point when 70% of the blossoms on the 3,700 Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin and National Mall are open. Once the trees reach peak bloom, the blossoms can stay in their ideal state for up to 10 days based on weather conditions.
This year's peak bloom is slightly later than last year, with trees seeing peak bloom between March 23 and March 26.
The National Park Service says the earliest peak bloom was March 15 in 1990 and latest April 18 in 1958.
The peak date is based on long-term weather forecasts, historical records and the current appearance of the trees, according to the park service.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place March 20 through April 13 this year, 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. The events celebrate how the city of Tokyo gifted D.C. 3,000 cherry blossom trees in 1912.
The original cherry blossoms were given as a gift to D.C. by the mayor of Tokyo in 1912 and symbolize friendship between Japan and the U.S.
WTOP News contributed to this report.
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