WASHINGTON — If you haven’t checked out D.C.’s cherry blossoms yet, you may want to very soon. The National Park Service said Wednesday that the blooms may soon be gone.
After what the National Park Service called “picture-perfect petal conditions for the last week,” the blooms are nearing the end of peak bloom and their retreat may be exacerbated by the weather. The park service tweeted that the 20-degree warmup and windy conditions expected Thursday mean the cherry blossoms’ beauty may be fading.
On Thursday, highs will be in the low to mid 70s, but the warmer temperatures and sunshine will be accompanied by wind gusts that could reach up to 35 mph, said Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper.
“After some cloudiness [Thursday] morning, plenty of sunshine will develop for the afternoon hours. As clouds break up, winds will increase, but these strong winds out of the southwest will help to transport our warmer air in,” she said.
The Yoshino cherry trees that line the Tidal Basin in D.C. reached peak bloom April 5 after the park service pushed back the expected peak bloom date several times. Once the trees bloom, the cherry blossoms’ flowers can last up to 10 days.
