It's still too early to pin down when DC's cherry blossoms will bloom in 2020, and no peak bloom forecasts have been issued yet. Stay tuned for the first peak bloom forecasts to be announced around the beginning of March.
It has been a much warmer-than-normal winter so far. And there's not much in the available forecasts to suggest that that pattern is likely to change as we get into March. So all indications at this point suggest an early bloom. That said, we're dealing with the weather, and if we get a sustained cold spell in March, it can slow things down considerably.
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.
Want to Help Support DC's Cherry Trees?
If you'd like to help support the care and upkeep of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, the Trust for The National Mall has launched an Endow a Cherry Tree Campaign. Donations go to the official Cherry Tree Endowment, which will give the National Park Service additional resources to fund the care, maintenance, and possible replacement of the cherry trees. You can find more information here.
The Trust is dedicated to marshaling private support for maintaining and improving the history National Mall area. I'm not affiliated with the Trust--just an admirer of their efforts.
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!