Abnormally warm March speeds up blooms of Washington’s cherry trees

An abnormally warm March is speeding up the blooms of cherry trees in Washington. A report by The Washington Post on Sunday (Mar 17) said that this weather has propelled the American state’s cherry blossoms to their second-earliest peak bloom in over a century.

The report said that Sunday’s peak bloom at the Tidal Basin, which is two weeks earlier than normal, came sooner in observations that go back to 1921.

The peak also preceded the official start of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place from March 20 to April 14. In a post on X, the National Park Service (NPS) said on Sunday, “PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! Did we say PEAK BLOOM?! The blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle. See you soon.”

What does peak bloom mean?

According to Cherry Blossom Watch, peak bloom is the day when NPS horticulturists judge that 70 per cent of the Yoshino blossoms are out. The Cherry Blossom Watch’s website states that there are different varieties of cherry trees around and near the Tidal Basin, but the Yoshino variety is by far the most numerous and famous.

The website adds that peak bloom is the day when the 70 per cent threshold is passed. So when it is forecast that peak bloom is expected between so and so dates, it means horticulturists expect the threshold to be crossed between that period.

It also doesn’t mean that the flowers will be at peak bloom for the entire period.

A look at the past data

As per the Washington Post report, the peak bloom was March 23 in the year 2023, March 21 in the year 2022, March 28 in the year 2021, and March 20 in the year 2020. In March this year, temperatures averaged more than 9 degrees above normal, ranking second warmest on record.

The mild weather drew thousands of people to the Tidal Basin on Saturday as well as Sunday as blossoms reached their peak. Almost every tree at the Basin was photographed either as a selfie or portrait.

The report added that a favourable forecast might allow people to enjoy blossoms for another week or so.