Washington’s famed cherry blossoms will burst into peak bloom from March 28 through 31 this year, the National Park Service predicted Thursday.
Crowds flock to Washington each year to see the thousands of Yoshino cherry trees that surround the city’s Tidal Basin, which is part of the National Mall. The trees reach their “peak bloom” when 70 percent of blossoms are open.
Although the agency’s predicted late-March window is on par with historical averages, it is later than last year’s peak bloom, which hit March 17. According to The Washington Post, peak bloom has come before March 29 in each of the last five years.
The NPS determines peak bloom by analyzing long-term forecasts and the appearance of the trees. Kevin Greiss, NPS superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, commended park employees for their work determining this year’s window.
