It's a sparkling spring morning at the Tidal Basin. And yes, it's about as crowded as you imagine it to be. The sun is out, but there was a definite chill in the air earlier this morning--there were a lot of people caught off-guard and shivering.
The NPS said yesterday afternoon that they observed peak bloom yesterday, March 25. Peak bloom marks when at least 70 percent of the trees are blooming. (I have a more detailed explanation of what peak bloom means here.)
The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang got it right from the get-go. In their first and only prediction they forecast that peak bloom would fall between March 24 and 28. The NPS was a bit more unsteady with their forecasts this year, initially saying March 31 to April 3, then revising it to March 18 to 23, and then revising it again to a period beginning March 23 to 24.
If you're heading down today, expect big crowds. But the trees are looking spectacular. And if you are planning to head down today or tomorrow, you might find some of the tips I included in yesterday's post useful.
And for those of you who weren't able to make it in person this year, I have a couple of small treats in store that I'll post over the weekend. So stay tuned!
Photos From This Morning
The trees are fully out now. There are a few petals on the ground thanks to the breeze we've had the past couple of days. And many of the flowers are starting to get a pink tinge.
