Snow! We got some very wet snow overnight into the morning. It's unusual for DC to get snow this late, and particularly for this winter, which has been well below average in terms of snowfall.
It's just a little too warm around the Tidal Basin for much of it to stick, so we've ended up with a very soggy half inch or so. Just across the Potomac, in Arlington, we got about 3 inches of accumulation, but melting has well and truly set in by the afternoon.
The snow won't do any harm to the cherry blossoms--there wasn't enough on the trees to break branches. And the National Park Service said today that the snow and recent wintry weather doesn't change their forecast--they're sticking with April 3-6. As it happens, the colder temperatures can bring a benefit: they can help prolong the blooming period.
On the trees, the florets are starting to extend.
This week is spring break for a lot of schools, so the school groups are out in force at the memorials. But the wintry weather is keeping most others away.
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.