The National Parks Service (NPS) announced the peak bloom of the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin will likely occur from March 22 to 25.
It was challenging to predict when the trees would be in this phase since they never reached full winter dormancy during this third-warmest winter on record, Jeff Reinbold, the Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks at the National Park Service, said in the announcement press conference.
According to Reinbold, the indicator tree has been showing mixed signals of the phases of blooming. On Feb. 23, the NPS announced that there were green buds on the trees, signs of the first stages.
After analyzing temperature data and watching the trees, Reinbold said, the NPS was able to reach a projected date when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossom trees will be in full bloom.
Regardless of the peak bloom period, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled from March 20 to April 16 with a full calendar of events in all eight wards of the district. More details can be found on the National Cherry Blossom or NPS websites.
“You’ve heard me say this before that festivals and parades and 5Ks they are fun, but it’s not all fun and games,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in the press conference. “This is the real business of our city, welcoming people, having people experience our city, tell their friends and come back next year. And we’re just happy to be a part of that work.
The NPS will continue to monitor the trees and their developing buds ahead of the predicted peak bloom phase. If the weather is perfect, Reinbold said, the blooms could last for 10 days.
FINALLY, the moment you all have been waiting for has arrived! 🥳🎉👯♂️🎊@NationalMallNPS just announced the predicted peak bloom dates at the beautiful @ConradWDC ! Peak bloom dates are predicted to be 3/22-3/25#CherryBlossFest #PeakBloomPrediction pic.twitter.com/KaY0USnpq4
— National Cherry Blossom Festival 🌸 (@CherryBlossFest) March 1, 2023
