RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – This should finally be the week of peak bloom of the D.C. cherry blossom trees along the Tidal Basin after an abnormally cold March delayed the bloom.
The National Park Service monitors the progress of each season’s bloom, and reported on Thursday, April 4 the first “puffy white” blooms appeared. Typically within the following week, that is when peak bloom is reached. The average peak bloom is April 4, so this year’s peak occurring this week is on the later side of history. The last time we bloomed this late (puffy white stage on 4/4) was in 2005.
I was in D.C. this weekend in hopes of catching some of the early blossoms, but I only saw a small percentage of trees at peak bloom. There were plenty of tourists seeking out those few trees, though!
After a couple of warmer days (and not as cold nights), check out the view of the Tidal Basin this morning!
This image doesn’t show the fullest florets at peak bloom, but you can see they are finally on their way for this week!
On the wider view, the pink and white are finally visible from a distance, whereas this weekend I still saw mainly branches, green and floret “buds.”
High pressure over the East Coast will lead to a big warm-up this week in the Mid-Atlantic, and preserve the peak bloom this week.
If you want to see the blossoms in person, I encourage you to go before Thursday evening, when rain and approaching thunderstorms will probably knock off a lot of the blossoms Friday.
CLICK HERE to follow the National Park Service’s Bloom Watch.
CLICK HERE to watch a live web cam of the Tidal Basin’s blooms.
Meteorologist Carrie Rose
Follow Carrie on Facebook & Twitter
