The cherry blossom trees around the Tidal Basin are now in Stage 1 of 6. Storm Team4’s Amelia Draper is outdoors in chilly temps to talk about when she thinks they’ll hit peak bloom. “Temperatures are the number one variable in determining when the blossoms come out — especially daytime highs,” she said.
The National Park Service announced Thursday that 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry trees have reached the puffy white stage.
It's the fifth and penultimate stage in the cherry blossom bloom cycle.
The Yoshino cherry trees mostly decorate the Tidal Basin and were the most common variety gifted to Washington by the Japanese government in its original 1912 shipment.
Plenty of other trees have already sprouted ahead of peak bloom. For instance, the Indicator Tree, which is historically about a week ahead of schedule compared to the other trees, has already reached peak bloom according to the NPS.
Saucer magnolias, those trees with larger pink petals that you might have mistaken for cherry blossoms from afar, have also begun to bloom.
This just in, the cherry blossoms are now in stage 5! Next up ... PEAK BLOOM. pic.twitter.com/N0W1zAkos8
— Amelia Draper (@amelia_draper) March 29, 2019
Peak Bloom is officially scheduled for April 1. If you're in need of help planning your weekend visiting the blossoms, News4 has you covered.
