Overview
- The National Park Service reported the Yoshino cherries have entered Stage Five, called Puffy White, on the six-step path to bloom.
- Park officials say peak bloom, defined as about 70% of blossoms open, is expected this week.
- NPS had estimated March 29 to April 1 for peak bloom, but it now says the peak should arrive this week.
- The timing and length of the display remain weather dependent, with rain, wind, or frost able to shorten it.
- The annual bloom around the Tidal Basin stems from a 1912 gift from Japan and draws roughly a million visitors each spring, so travelers may move plans up.