2015 Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom Forecasts

The latest information and forecasts on when Washington DC’s cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin will reach peak bloom in Spring 2015.

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2016 Peak Bloom

You can find the latest information on the 2016 cherry blossom peak bloom forecasts here.

2015 Peak Bloom Reached on April 10

The NPS announced that the cherry blossoms had reached peak bloom on April 10. That’s a day ahead of the original NPS forecast of April 11-14 and right in the forecast window issued by the Capital Weather Gang.

Original 2015 Peak Bloom Forecasts

National Park Service: April 11-14

Washington Post Capital Weather Gang: April 9-13

The cherry blossoms have come and gone for 2015. As of April 20, all of the trees are being covered in green leaves. You can find more information many more photos in the April 20 cherry blossom watch update, but here’s a sampling of how they were looking on April 20:

Cherry Blossoms - April 20, 2015

Cherry Blossoms - April 20, 2015

Cherry Blossoms - April 20, 2015

Cherry Blossoms - April 20, 2015

I’ve also posted a photographic timeline of what to expect, when as we head past peak bloom.

Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms

If you miss the end of the main cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin, there’s another variety of cherry blossoms, the Kwanzan, that blooms about 2 weeks after the Yoshinos. There are about 40 of them scattered around the Tidal Basin and over 400 nearby in East Potomac Park. I have more information about them here.

Background

The National Park Service issued its first cherry blossom peak bloom forecast for the season at a press conference in Washington DC on March 3. They predict that peak bloom will likely occur sometime during the period of April 11-14. You can find more information on what the peak bloom forecast means here.

The Washington Post‘s Capital Weather Gang has issued their own forecast for a peak bloom falling sometime within the window of April 9 to April 13, “centered on April 11.”

It’s not at all unusual for these early predictions to be revised and refined as we get closer to the date, and I’ll keep this page updated with the latest forecasts. But it’s worth pointing out that last year the National Park Service estimate was spot on with their first forecast (they predicted April 8-12 and it ended up being April 10).

This prediction is for a peak bloom slightly later than last year, with the very cold February we’ve had and a March that is forecast to be colder and snowier than average slowing things down. If the prediction pans out, it wouldn’t be the latest peak bloom on record–that’s April 18–but it’s definitely on the very late end of things. The average peak bloom date is around April 3-4. It would also place it right at the tail end, or perhaps even missing, the dates of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The first part of Washington’s winter was pretty unremarkable. We had some unseasonably warm days around Christmas and some cold days early on. There were a few snowfalls, but not as many as last year.

But then February happened. February’s temperatures were colder than the historical average, along with some record-setting lows. Overall, it was the area’s coldest February since 1979. It was a cold, wintry month. March started cold and snowy but has, in recent days, warmed up a bit.

The cold weather has affected all of the area’s flowers. Daffodils are sprouting but not yet flowering, and the tulips are still a while away. Various fruit blossoms and tulip magnolias will among the first flowering trees to come out, but they’re not flowering yet.

What to Expect, When

I’ve put together a timeline of photos from past years to illustrate the progression of the bloom ranging from about a week before peak bloom to about a week after. You can find it here.

Visitor Guides

If you’re planning a visit, I’ve put together some ideas on where to stay if you’re looking for hotels in Washington DC and how to get to the cherry blossoms once you’re here:

2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival

The 2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held March 20 through April 12. The current forecasts put the bloom right at the tail end of the festival. When the festival was first started back in the Depression era of the mid-1930s, it was a one- or two-day affair. Over the decades since it has become longer and longer, and it now stretches over three weeks.

The Festival includes many events around the city. Here are some of the popular highlights for 2015:

  • National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade – Saturday, April 11
  • Kite Festival – Saturday, March 28
  • Southwest Waterfront Fireworks – Saturday, April 4

Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is scheduled for April 12. If the current peak bloom forecasts hold, it will be perfectly timed for the runners to get a beautiful view as they head around the Tidal Basin and Hains Point.

The Tidal Basin will still be open and accessible on the morning of the race, but road closures will create complications for visitors trying to get there, especially those planning to drive and park. Road closures will start at 2AM and run through 11:30AM. Expect a ripple effecting lasting beyond that. Here’s a map of the road closures [PDF]. By far the best bet will be to walk or use the Metro.

If you arrive while runners are still running you’ll have to find a way to cross the road safely without disrupting the stream of runners. But while you wait for the stream to thin out, feel free to get into the spirit of the race. Having run it several times myself, I can say that the cheering really is appreciated.

Discussion

    • I can’t really answer that. The Kwanzans are pretty, but it’s not nearly on the same scale as the more famous ones and they don’t have the same scenic setting around the Tidal Basin. There is, of course, a lot else to do and see in DC.

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  1. We plan to visit this coming Saturday 18th. is it worthy because we are there to see the cherry blossom. Have been DC 5 times but never see the real great view in Spring

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    • I’ve just posted some photos from this morning that might help. At this stage it’s a bit unpredictable how quickly the flowers will fall, and it can change quite a lot from day to day. There are of course many other flowers coming out now around the area–the tulips and magnolias are highlights.

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    • The main cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin will probably be nearly all gone by then. Some of the Kwanzan cherry blossoms, a number of which are nearby, might be starting to bloom. I hope to have an update on both tomorrow morning that will give a better sense of what to expect.

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        • If your trip is planned primarily for the cherry blossoms, they’re going to be pretty much gone by then. There are, of course, many other wonderful things to do and see in DC. I plan to do one or two last updates over the next few days, so they should give you some idea of how it’s progressing.

  2. What if it rains on Friday or Saturday, does the flower shed due to rain or it does not matter. I want to visit Thomas Jefferson memorial park on Saturday.

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing daily updates with us and replying to each and every comments. Every year we decide to make a trip for cherry blossom but never got a chance to do that. So this time we are going to do it. Your blog is so helpful. Please keep posting. we are planning for 4/10-4/11. hoping to see some flowers.

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      • David
        This is my 3rd time coming down from Canada and I can’t find a better website than yours! You are the best and your pictures tell it all.
        Can you let us know how much the upcoming rain will affect the blossoms? We are coming down this Saturday
        so I hope the rain doesn’t damage them too much.

        GREAT JOB!!

        Reply
        • At this point the rain isn’t presenting a problem (more on this in the update posting shortly). Severe storms tomorrow–if they arrive and if they’re a direct hit–might have more impact, but typically there are so many flowers to start with that quite a few can be knocked off and the whole spectacle is still beautiful. A few days further into the process and they get more fragile and get knocked off more easily.

  4. David,

    Thanks a lot for all the updates and the photos. Your blog helped me prepare for the trip. Appreciate you helping us folks.

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  5. I come here everyday to check the blossom blogs. Thank you for your great pictures and all information here.

    I have a question. I have booked my hotel and flights this weekend (April 10 – 12) to Washington DC and I really want to see the peak blossoms. But it seems like it may be a little bit earlier? Does it worth a change of hotels and flights and wait one more week (April 17 – 19)? I can only fly to Washington in weekends. Very struggling now. Can you give me some suggestion? Thanks.

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    • This morning’s update might help (you can find it here). There’s been quite a bit of progress the past few days and some scattered early trees are starting to flower.

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      • Hey When do u suggest to visit this beautiful place. We would be driving 6 hours with 4 kids and 7 adults, so dont want to take unwanted stress if we dont get the view we are desiring for.

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        • That’s a lot of pressure… If you’re aiming for a weekend, this weekend looks to be shaping up well. I plan to post another update in the morning which should help.

  6. My father is in a wheelchair and his bucket list is to visit the cherry blossoms in bloom this year. We plan to be in D.C. April 13-15. First question: is that still a good time for the blooms and Second question: are there handicap parking near the basin? (we have MN handicap sign). Thank you so much!

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    • In answer to your first question, based on current forecasts and what we currently know it’s shaping up well. The update from a couple of days ago provides some further details. For your second question, yes, there is, although there’s also a lot of competition for parking so there’s no guarantee one of those spots will be available. I have more detailed information here that might help.

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    • The best spots are right next to the MLK Memorial and FDR Memorial on West Basin Drive SW. There are about a dozen spots or so but they’re in very high demand and they often get filled with buses at this time of year. And the catch is that once you head down West Basin Drive, it’s one-way and if the spots are full you have to go all the way around the Tidal Basin again. Spots along Ohio Drive next to the FDR Memorial are also very good, but again, demand is high. A bit further along, behind the George Mason Memorial and basically in the shadow of the 14th St Bridge, are three smallish lots simply called A, B, and C. They’re pretty reliable bets, but it’s still possible for them to be full when things ramp up. If that’s the case, you can keep going around East Potomac Park until you find a spot. We take our kids down there in strollers regularly, and there aren’t any bad spots. The whole area is pedestrian-friendly and flat. It’s just a matter of increasing distances. And if the kids are of an age where they’re independently mobile and need to burn off some energy, there are playing fields right next to the MLK and FDR memorials where they can run around safely. Just watch them on the walkway that actually runs next to the Tidal Basin–there are no fences around most of it, and in the section that does have a fence isn’t of a type that’s going to thwart a determined toddler.

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  7. Thank you so much for this informative blog. I have visitors coming and planned it all around the bloom schedule. Your blog has helped educate me on what to expect when. Great work and love your photography!

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    • There are many cherry trees along the waterfront of both parks. East Potomac Park/Hains Point has a longer waterfront, so there are more trees there, both both are good options. Both mainly bloom at about the same time, although there are some groves of Kwanzan cherry trees in East Potomac Park that bloom about 12 days or so later.

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      • Hi David. Any place in particular that you would recommend we go to today or tomorrow to see early blossoming trees?

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        • They’re pretty evenly scattered around the Tidal Basin. The indicator tree the most obviously in full bloom, but it has lost some branches over the years and isn’t looking quite as grand as it once did. There were several within the FDR Memorial that were also starting to look good. And there’s another small group over behind the MLK Memorial.

  8. Saw a few days ago in the comments section of capital weather blog one of their meteorologists predicting peak would be towards the end of their 9-13 forecast and park service’s 11-14.

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  9. Great Info. Comprehensive and up-to-date and answers to so many questions with most recent awesome photos make this site great.
    I have been following the updates for past 2 weeks. My daughter has never seen Cherry Blossoms and doesn’t want to miss this year.
    I’ll be driving from Providence. I have problems walking more that 2 to 3 hundred feet at a stretch. Any information that helps me reaching the best location without having to walk much will be really appreciated. For ex. any designated accessible parking slots nearest to the location etc. etc.

    I am planning for Apr 11-13.

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  10. you will probably still see some blooms..the early blooms(which are also beautiful)..but not the peak bloom (when the flowers are fully open) which I predict will start around April 9..

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  11. planning to visit this weekend. April 4th 5th. Do you think I can see any blossom on the day..??
    I checked your today’s update but kinda..worry 🙁

    Reply
    • That’s going to be a bit early for most of them, but it’s possible there might be some scattered blossoms starting to come out. Temperatures should be back closer to normal this week. While that’s unlikely to spark a rapid acceleration, it should at least stop slowing things down. I hope to post another update later this week which will give a better sense of what to expect over the Easter weekend.

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  12. Hi. We appreciate your input on the CHERRY BLOSSOMS watch in DC.Our trip will be on the 3rd to the 5th of April.How is it looking now?You think we can see some bloom on these dates?Please update us.Thanks and God bless.

    Reply
  13. April 18 was the latest Yoshino cherry blossom peak bloom on record, but I can guarantee the late record is under threat this year. Is a new record of April 26 alright with this year’s Yoshino cherry blossom peak bloom?

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  14. I doubt the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington, DC, will be flowering by April 18, which was the latest peak bloom on record. So, April 24 – April 28 will be my best bet for this year’s peak bloom. I may range slightly smaller chances from as early as April 19 to as late as May 3 this year. If they have to wait until May to finally flower, then I’ll go with May 14, 2015.

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    • Hi,
      I plan to see Cherry blossom around Apr 11. I’ll be driving from Rhode Island. I need some advise for getting around with minimal walk.
      I can not walk more that 2-300 feet at a stretch.
      Anything that helps reaching Tidal Basin or any other spot for watchining Cherry Blossoms like Disabled Parking slots, park and ride, mobility related rentals etc. will help me plan.
      Appreciate all the help.

      Reply
      • The best drop-off point is right next to the MLK Memorial on West Basin Drive. That puts you in the heart of the action, and there are benches there for when you’re waiting for pickup. There are no steps through the MLK Memorial down to the Tidal Basin, so it’s readily accessible. On that same stretch of West Basin Drive, just back a little, next to the FDR Memorial, are several disabled parking spots (here’s a map. But, as you can imagine, there’s a lot of competition for them, so there’s no guarantee a spot will be available. If you do end up parking there, you can also reach the Tidal Basin easily through the FDR Memorial. The first path has steps, but a bit further along is a ramp. There’s another good drop-off point (but not parking) behind the Jefferson Memorial, but the distance from the road to the Tidal Basin waterfront is probably farther than 2-300 feet. Parking along the stretch of Ohio Drive SW next to the West Potomac Park are the next-closest, but they’re in high demand and are probably at least 500 feet. There are three small parking lots a little further around Ohio Drive (map), but but the walk is over 1,000 feet to the Tidal Basin. If you end up parking farther away around Hains Point, there’s a free shuttle bus service that does the loop. I don’t recall exactly how frequently it comes, but I believe it’s every 10-15 mins or so. It hasn’t started yet, but there’ll be signs up when the service starts. Beyond the Tidal Basin, there are also cherry blossoms most of the way around Hains Point along the Potomac. An alternate approach might be to use something like the Old Town Trolley, which is the hop-on, hop-off tour bus. I don’t know their route so am not sure where the best place to pick it up would be next to disabled parking spots, but someone in their office might be able to answer that (here’s their website.

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    • Are you sure of this? I would be really happy then. I was planning to visit around April 12th but had to cancel the plan due to some reasons. I wish there are flowers during the weekend of April 25th. Is that possible??

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      • The current forecasts range from April 9 to April 14. But there are other varieties of cherry blossoms nearby that bloom about 12 days later. You can find more information about them from last year here.

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  15. Hi, thank you for such perfect information. My boyfriend and I decided to visit on 4/3/2015, is this date will be too early or we still can watch but not in the perfect timing? This is going to be our first travel so i don’t want to disappoint him>_<

    Reply
    • Most of the trees are unlikely to be flowering by then, although there’ll probably be other varieties of trees flowering and maybe some early starters to brighten things up.

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  16. Hi – thought I would comment since you were kind enough to reply to others! Your site has been my go to site this spring since planning a trip to DC for April 6-8. I am so hoping to catch at least some of the action. I am also a newbie photographer (read: i got a nice camera and am learning to use it). I would love any helpful hints or places for good pictures. I am going with friends/ husband and my 18 month old little girl.

    thank you!

    Reply
    • This time last year my son was 18 months and would often “help” me down at the Tidal Basin for the updates. You can’t go too far wrong with places to take photos around DC–there are a lot of great options. You can find some ideas here. I have some tips on taking photos at the cherry blossoms here. And it’s hard to beat the light just after sunrise on a clear morning. There are also a lot of kid-friendly options. The Smithsonian Natural History Museum is always a favorite, as are the Smithsonian American History and Air and Space Museums. All are right along the Mall. The cherry blossoms are of course wonderful for family portraits. And if you’re up for a bit of a walk, there are also some large patches of daffodils just across the river that are wonderful for photos of kids. Enjoy your visit!

      Reply
    • If the current forecasts hold, it’ll probably be a bit early for the main action, but there’s a good chance of at least some trees starting to come out by then.

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  17. hi. We are going to DC this weekend (28 and 29) do you think we will be able to see some cherryblossoms on our trip? We are so excited to see some. Thanks!

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    • Probably not, unfortunately. All the flowers are very late this year thanks to the cold weather for the past couple of months. Even the daffodils, which are typically out by now, are only just on the verge of starting.

      Reply
    • Under the current forecasts, the latest dates in the windows are April 13-14. Even if the peak bloom falls right on the very end of that, most of the famous cherry blossoms will be mostly gone by April 18-19. You can see how the trees look 5 days after last year’s peak bloom here. There’s also a good chance that the peak bloom will come earlier in the forecast windows. And it is possible for the forecasts to change. So while it’s not impossible there’ll still be some to see April 18-19, based on what we currently know the odds are leaning against it. That said, the cherry blossoms ringing the Tidal Basin are not the only cherry blossom show in town. There are other varieties nearby that bloom up to 12 days or so later (see the section on the Kwanzan cherry trees in the April 15, 2014 post linked above). And the cherry trees in other parts of the region often vary by a few days here and there from the ones around the Tidal Basin. You can find some ideas for alternate sites at the bottom of this page. The tulips and other flowers should also be out by then, so it’s a very pretty time in DC.

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  18. I saw that peak bloom is around April 9-14. I am planning to visit DC (just for Cherry Blossom festival) on April 3-5. Let me know if it is worth visiting or not.

    Reply
    • I can’t really answer that directly, and I’m not sure if you mean visiting DC or the Tidal Basin. If DC, the Festival itself has some wonderful events well worth seeing. And DC always has a lot of interesting things going on. Strictly in terms of the blooming of the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin, it’s probably going to be a bit early for the main action. But based on what we currently know and current forecasts, by April 5 there’s a reasonable chance you’ll be able to find some early trees starting to come out. If you’re in town anyway, the best chance of seeing some flowers will be towards the end of your visit. And the Tidal Basin is a very short walk from the National Mall and has some very impressive monuments and memorials around it so is well worth a visit with or without cherry blossoms.

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    • Probably not. If you’re lucky, there might be some flowers starting to come out on one of the trees that consistently blooms early over next to the eastern side of the Jefferson Memorial.

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  19. I am from DC, and Bethesda…. you don’t need to be near a metro if you are near the Capital Crescent Trail or C & O Canal…. easy to bike or jog to the basin.

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  20. I have been trying several years now to visit Washington DC during cherry blossom season, but have not been able to. I’m hoping this will be the year. Which area would be the best place to stay at that would be within walking distance to the tidal basin and area attractions? Thank you.

    Reply
  21. Thank you for getting out to the tidal basin this year and for giving us updates. You do a much better job than the NPS.

    Reply

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