Cherry blossom peak bloom arrives in DC, boosted by warm weather

WASHINGTON - Peak bloom has arrived for Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms, the National Park Service announced Thursday.

What we know:

Warm temperatures near 60 degrees on Wednesday and warmer conditions on Thursday helped speed up the process, pushing many Yoshino cherry trees from Stage Five, known as Puffy White, into full bloom. 

NPS said roughly a third of the trees were still in Stage Five early Wednesday, but the mild conditions boosted that number.

The trees move through six stages: Green Buds, Florets Visible, Extension of Florets, Peduncle Elongation, Puffy White and finally Peak Bloom. NPS defines peak bloom as the point when about 70% of blossoms have opened.

Peak bloom typically falls between late March and early April, though weather swings have pushed it as early as March 15 in 1990 and as late as April 18 in 1958. The blossoms reached peak bloom on March 28 in 2025 and March 17 in 2024.

The Yoshino trees usually remain in bloom for several days, depending on conditions. Cool, calm weather can extend the display, while rain, wind or a late frost can shorten it or prevent blossoms from opening.

Yoshino cherry trees mostly circle the Tidal Basin and extend onto the Washington Monument grounds. A portion of the Tidal Basin will remain closed through the 2026 Cherry Blossom Festival because of a $112 million seawall reconstruction project aimed at reducing flooding and improving accessibility.

Here are some alternative places to view the cherry blossoms at peak bloom.