Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossoms Entering First Stage of Bloom Ahead of Schedule

Posted: February 26, 2023 3:00 am

It has been an unseasonably warm week for Southeast and the mid-Atlantic as an area of high pressure anchored near Bermuda pushed warm and moist air upward into the U.S. While the temperatures have taken a tumble this weekend, the warmth of the prior days have sent mixed signals to Mother Nature. In the nation’s capital, this message is translating to the famous cherry blossom trees already beginning to show their buds.

Cherry Blossom Trees Already Showing Signs of Life

According to the National Park Service (NPS), the designated indicator tree that is used to monitor the progression of the blooming is already in the first stage of bud appearance. This appearance is a few weeks earlier than is typical. Although the beautiful buds trying to come out of hibernation are certainly welcome by most people who are tired of the winter, the early bloom could be a problem if the temperature drops again.

There are six total phases of the budding process for this particular species of trees. The NPS noticed that the first stage began this year on February 13, roughly two weeks earlier than when it entered this phase in 2022. During this year, most of the trees had entered this phase by March 3.

Because these flowers are particularly vulnerable to the elements of winter, a first bud stage that happens too early could spell trouble for the rest of the progression. You do not have to go too far back in history to find a last gasp of winter that killed an early bloom. A late frost over the time period March 14 – 16 killed about half of the Yoshino blossoms that had already come out in 2017.

During 2017, approximately 70% of the blooms had already reached the fourth stage of development when winter returned. As a result, many of the buds were wiped out and the blooms paled in comparison to prior years.

In a typical year, you can expect it to take about three or four weeks for the blooms to transition from the initial green bud stage to the peak state of color.

Diving Into This Spring’s Long-Range Forecast

So what is in store for this year’s buds? The long-range forecast is calling for winter weather to make another appearance in spells throughout March and possibly into April. While this is not a precise forecast, weather experts are also calling for a chance of snow during the spring in this part of the country. This will provide an even greater opportunity for multiple frost events to kill any buds that bloom too soon.

In a normal year, you can expect the blossoms to hit the fourth stage of development in mid to late March. This puts the typical peak bloom date at April 4 with some normal variations.

With a pattern of up and down temperatures in April on tap for this year, the experts are warning that the blooms may not hang around for long. The recent trend has demonstrated peak bloom dates coming slightly earlier, most likely as a result of global warming. For instance, between the time period of 2002 to 2022, the peak bloom happened before the historical average of April 4 in 14 of those 19 years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data has noted that the peak bloom dates have moved up about one week since 1921.

About the Cherry Blossoms

If you are hoping to catch the cherry blossoms this year, you will find the best viewing along the National Mall northeast of the Lincoln Memorial and surrounding the Washington Monument. The Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial is also a prime viewing location. For another alternative, you will find a good amount of blossoms scattered up and down the shoreline of East Potomac Park, stretching to Hains Point.

The trees were a gift from the Japanese in 1912, signifying the friendship between the two countries. Since that time, Washington, D.C. celebrates the annual blooming of the trees with festivals and other commemorations.

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