Cherry Blossoms In DC : When Blooms Will Be At Their Peak

WASHINGTON, DC — Every spring, thousands of visitors descend on the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. to enjoy the National Cherry Blossom Festival, when all of the cherry tree branches are bursting with white and pink flowers.

Since warm or cool weather impacts when the blossoms will open, it's a tough task to predict when the trees will reach their peak.

"The peak bloom date is defined as the day when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are open," according to a website posting by the National Park Service, which is responsible for making cherry blossom predictions. "Peak bloom varies annually depending on weather conditions. The most likely time to reach peak bloom is between the last week of March and the first week of April. Extraordinary warm or cool temperatures have resulted in peak bloom as early as March 15 (1990) and as late as April 18 (1958)."

Taking all of these factors into account, the NPS is predicting the cherry blossom trees around the Tidal Basin will reach peak bloom March 27-30 this year.

Typically, Yoshino trees, which are the most common trees in the park, bloom for a period of seven days, depending on weather conditions.

With peak blooms predicted to occur between March 27-30, that's great timing for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs March 20-April 12.

More than 1.5 million people enjoy the annual festival that commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C., from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo. Besides taking in the beauty of the cherry blossoms, visitors can take part in a number of creative and cultural activities that celebrate the ongoing friendship between the U.S. and Japan.

Here are some of the highlights of this year's festival:

• Pink Tie Party: March 20
• Opening Weekend: March 21
• Opening Ceremony: March 21
• Blossom Kite Festival: March 28
• Parade: April 4
• Petalpalooza: April 11

Most National Cherry Blossom Festival events are free and open to the public.