Cherry blossoms reach peak bloom, National Park Service announces
WASHINGTON (7News) — The moment everyone has been waiting for, the Yoshino Cherry Tree blossoms along the Tidal Basin have reached peak bloom.
The National Park Service announced the final stage on Sunday, March 17.
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This year, the trees reached Stage 1 on March 2, Stage 2 on March 5, Stage 3 on March 8, Stage 4 on March 12, and Stage 5 on March 15. Peak bloom was expected between March 23 and 26. But it came early this year.
The cherry blossom blooms will arrive in five stages, according to NPS:
- Green color in buds
- Florets Visible
- Extension of Florets
- Peduncle Elongation
- Puffy White
The final stage is peak bloom.
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Starting on Saturday, March 23, Litterst said East Basin Drive will only be open to certain vehicles, including buses and vehicles with people with disabilities. He said at that time Ohio Drive will be open to all cars but will only go one way northbound towards Independence Avenue and the Lincoln Memorial.
Last year, a combination of heavy crowds, loss of parking spaces, and a different traffic pattern led to some of the worst traffic jams in recent memory near the blossoms. It is not expected to be as bad this year, but it is still expected to be very heavy, which is why NPS recommends avoiding driving if you can.