Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 1, 2022
The cherry blossoms are well on their way out now. Some flowers are hanging on, but the cherry blossom snow is piling up.
Peak bloom was March 21, 2022.
It was an early bloom this year. Despite a cold January, February was a few degrees warmer than normal, and March warmer again. It meant that the cherry blossoms accelerated as they got closer to blooming.
Once the cherry blossoms were in bloom, cooler temperatures arrived and helped slow things down and prolong the bloom.
But it was not all smooth sailing. A deep freeze on March 14 killed off the saucer magnolias, although it left the cherry blossoms untouched. Another freeze on March 28, when the cherry blossoms were still in bloom, did some damage to the cherry blossoms, but not as much as might have been feared.
This year marked a return to normal for cherry blossom season, with most pandemic restrictions lifted and a return to in-person visiting and events.
It was also the first year that the National Park Service moved the Welcome Area from the paddle boats parking lot to a new spot by the MLK Memorial along West Basin Drive.
The cherry blossoms are well on their way out now. Some flowers are hanging on, but the cherry blossom snow is piling up.
These are some of the beautiful photos of 2022’s Washington DC cherry blossom bloom that were submitted by Cherry Blossom Watch readers. This is part 4.
These are some of the beautiful photos of 2022’s Washington DC cherry blossom bloom that were submitted by Cherry Blossom Watch readers. This is part 3.
These are some of the beautiful photos of 2022’s Washington DC cherry blossom bloom that were submitted by Cherry Blossom Watch readers. This is part 2.
Last night’s hard freeze wasn’t kind to the cherry blossoms. The extent of the damage isn’t fully clear yet, but it’s looking a bit grim.
These are some of the beautiful photos of 2022’s bloom of the cherry blossoms that were submitted by Cherry Blossom Watch readers. This is part 1–more to come.
The good news with the cold temperatures is that they have basically hit pause on the cherry blossoms, and they’re holding up remarkably well. A few more days of cold temperatures will help prolong the bloom.
The cherry blossoms are still going strong and looking beautiful. A second wave of rain overnight didn’t have much effect. And the rain and fog has now moved out and given way to clear, sunny skies.
The cherry blossoms are still going strong after last night’s rain and thunderstorms.
The bloom is still going strong. Some of the earliest bloomers around the MLK Memorial are losing their petals, but elswhere around the Tidal Basin the trees are looking lovely.
The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and look magnificent. This morning was the busiest morning yet of the bloom, which adds logistical considerations if you plan to visit.
The National Park Service arborists have judged that the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin have reached peak bloom as of today (March 21).
The sun is shining, the air is still, and the cherry blossoms are looking beautiful.
The cherry blossoms are coming into full bloom now. Many are fully out, but some still need a warm day or two to fully pop.
Some of the trees are starting to pop. Most of the trees aren’t quite there yet, but it’s shaping up nicely for full bloom next week.
The cherry blossoms emerged unscathed from the winter storm over the weekend. They’re progressing nicely. But the saucer magnolias didn’t fare quite so well.
The buds have been making good progress with the warm weather. There’s an Arctic Blast incoming, but it shouldn’t pose much of a problem.
The National Park Service has announced their initial peak bloom prediction for 2022.
The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang predicts peak bloom around March 24. The National Park Service will announce their prediction later this morning.
There are some green buds starting to poke through, and the National Park Service will announce their initial peak bloom forecast on Tuesday.
Welcome to the 2022 Cherry Blossom Watch! There’s not much yet to see on the trees, but the first peak bloom forecasts will come out in a few weeks.