DC Cherry Blossoms in 2021
No peak bloom forecasts for 2021 have been issued yet.
It seems increasingly likely that DC will still be under COVID-19 restrictions in spring 2021 while the cherry blossoms are blooming. The Washington DC area is currently assessed at a very high risk level. So it's shaping up to be a good year to follow along from afar from the safety and comfort of your home.
The cherry tree buds are making slow but steady progress. They still have some work to do, and they’re still quite far behind where they were this time last year, but a couple of very warm days today and tomorrow will help move things along a little.
There haven’t been any updates to the initial peak bloom predictions, so the original ones still stand.
Elsewhere around town, more daffodils are being coaxed out. And the first magnolia buds are starting to pop, although there’s still a ways until they’re in full bloom. I’ll be keeping an eye on those over the coming week or two and including them in the updates when I can.
Temperatures
Temperatures play a crucial role in the timing of the cherry blossom bloom. Warmer-than-normal temperatures bring them out earlier; cooler-than-normal temperatures bring them out later.
Here’s how the pattern looks on a day-by-day basis so far this year. The blue line represents daily averages since the beginning of December; the red line represents the historical averages.
And here’s how that translates into monthly averages:
- March: -3.2° (as of March 14)
- February: +3.2°
- January: +1.2°
- December: +3.8°
How it Looks at the Tidal Basin Today
It’s warm and nice, but there’s not much in the way of spring colors yet.
The Japanese Pagoda.
The MLK Memorial.
Photographing Flowers
At this time of year, there are beautiful flowers to be had all over the place. Maybe in your backyard. Maybe in the local park.
These are ere are some of my favorite books that I've reviewed on taking photos of flowers:
- Timber Press OR
- Detrick, Alan L. (Author)
- Focal Press
- Davis, Harold (Author)
chris says
Thank you for all your advice and ideas! So easy to follow! We even booked a trip based on your recommendations and prospective bloom dates!
David says
Glad it’s helpful! Fingers crossed that the timing holds!