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DC cherry blossoms reach peak bloom

Abigail Constantino | aconstantino@wtop.com

March 21, 2020, 12:19 AM

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The cherry blossoms in D.C. have reached the final stage: peak bloom.

The National Park Service said Friday the cherry blossoms have reached the last stage of bloom a day earlier than the predicted peak bloom dates of March 21 to March 24.

Peak bloom is defined as the day when 70% of the cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin are open.

Many National Cherry Blossom Festival events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 measures to flatten the curve. So, the Trust for the National Mall has set up a bloom cam that lets you see the Tidal Basin awash in a burst of pinks and whites.

For those who plan to see the cherry blossoms in person, the National Park Service is urging visitors not to climb the trees.

On Friday, the trunk of one of the Yoshino trees broke under the weight of climbers.

More importantly, the Park Service said that those who still plan to visit the Tidal Basin should make smart decisions and follow the guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on social distancing and other measures to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

And if you’re planning to take public transportation, Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery Metro stations are closed. The transit agency said Metro is for essential trips only.

Find out the schedules of local transit agencies.

Abigail Constantino

Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University.

aconstantino@wtop.com

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Cyclists ride past the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. on March 20, 2020. The Smithsonian will be making a cherry blossom webcam available as the flowers reach their peak later this month. (WTOP/Dan Friedell)
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At the Tidal Basin on Thursday, there were moderate crowds despite the pandemic and warnings from public officials. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
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A man wears a mask while walking around the Tidal Basin on Thursday. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
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There were moderate crowds at the Tidal Basin on Thursday.
(WTOP/Dave Dildine)
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A woman wearing a mask stops to read coronavirus safety tips along an almost empty Tidal Basin lined with cherry blossoms that are about to peak, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Washington. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
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With the Washington Monument in the background, people run by cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin, March 18, 2020, in Washington.
University of Washington freshman Byron Chen walks on the campus among the nearly 30 cherry trees nearing their peak bloom Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Seattle. The school is asking people to avoid coming to campus this year to comply with orders prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people during the spread of COVID-19. The “Somei-yoshino” variety are particularly striking when they reach full bloom because unlike many other flowering tree species, their white-pink blossoms bloom before the leaves start filling in.
Usually crowded cherry tree-lined Tidal Basin walkways are nearly empty of visitors in this moment, days before peak bloom, amid the coronavirus outbreak on March 17, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images/Paul Morigi)
Getty Images/Paul Morigi
Rep. Jody Arrington, R-Texas, plays catch with his children under cherry blossom blooms in front of the Supreme Court, Tuesday March 17 , 2020, in Washington. (AP/Steve Helber)
AP/Steve Helber
The Lincoln Memorial is visible as Cherry Blossoms begin to bloom near the base of the Washington Monument on the National Mall, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Washington. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
AP/Andrew Harnik
cherry blossom
Cherry blossoms in the puffy white stage on Wednesday, March 17, 2020. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)
WTOP/Darci Marchese
Michaella Pratt and her children Preston Pratt, 6, Aubrey Pratt, 4, from Arlington, Va., use their time with school closing because of the coronavirus outbreak, to visit the near-empty Tidal Basin in Washington, Monday, March 16, 2020. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Cherry Blossoms are about to peak at an almost empty Tidal Basin, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Washington. Tourists usually flock to Washington and crowd around the area when cherry blossom trees starts to bloom. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta
A family visits the cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Washington. Several events, including the parade, that are part of the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival have been canceled due to coronavirus precautions. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
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A small amount of cherry blossoms have begun to bloom along the Tidal Basin at East Potomac Park, Friday, March 13, 2020, in Washington. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
AP/Andrew Harnik
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cherry blossom
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