When is the Best Time to Visit Washington DC to See the Cherry Blossoms?

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The most common dates for peak bloom are April 2, 6, 7, and 9. Since , the overall average peak bloom date has been April 3.

The new pattern, and the unpredictability it could bring, has caught the attention of scientists, but local shopkeepers should take note, too—as the change could affect when tourists come to see the fluffy blooms. Park service records show that temperatures at the Tidal Basin, where the Washington blooms are most prolific, have risen steadily at a rate of 1. According to the park service, the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts about 1. But research shows variable temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic could make the annual pilgrimage to the Tidal Basin harder to plan.

Phenology experts—those who study the seasonal patterns of plants and animals—have tracked fluctuations in flowering plants, and the animals affected by them, for years due to climate change. The Augusta National Golf Club—host to the Masters championship golf tournament—has had trouble with the variability of the blooms of its azalea flowers. An early spring in for parts of the southeast U.