Handful of cherry blossom trees damaged at Tidal Basin during strong windstorm

WASHINGTON - A windstorm that struck the D.C. region may have put a slight damper on some cherry blossoms in the process of blooming at the Tidal Basin.

The heavy winds appear to have caused some damage to a handful of cherry trees on Friday. A National Park Service spokesperson said the agency will likely survey the area to assess the damage on Saturday when it is safe to do so after the wind dies down.

Earlier this week, the National Park Service predicted the peak bloom dates for the cherry trees will be from March 17 to March 20.

Peak bloom is defined as the day when 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin are blossoming. Once peak bloom is reached, the cherry blossoms can remain on the trees from four to 10 days.