Cherry Blossom Watch Update: September 18, 2015

This isn't really an update as such–I don't have any new information. But I thought I'd post some photos taken this morning in case anyone was curious about how the cherry trees look during the summer, long after the cherry blossoms have gone and before the leaves have really started turning for the fall.

Pretty soon the trees will start changing color as we head deeper into fall. The colors on the cherry trees aren't as dramatic as some of the other foliage, but the leaves do turn a mix of yellow, orange, and brown. You can see some photos from November last year here.

And although Washington DC's main tourist season is winding down after Labor Day, it's actually a great time to visit DC. Sure, you miss the cherry blossoms flowering and you don't have events like the summer fireworks, but there are a bunch of other benefits. Temperatures tend toward being more pleasant, with less humidity–stunningly clear days, like today and the past few days, aren't uncommon. As you can see from the photos, you also won't be jostled by the throngs as you take in the sites. And one of my personal favorites of the fall comes with the fall equinox, where the sun rises directly in the east. Because of the way the National Mall is lined up directly east to west, you can get some wonderful sunrise silhouettes of the monuments, like this shot I took a little earlier this morning at the Reflecting Pool. Sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to watch an equinox sunrise on a clear morning is something quite special.

It's still far too early to have any hints as to when the cherry blossoms will bloom in 2016. We'll have to see how the winter shapes up. A long, cold winter usually suggests a later bloom, while a warm, short winter suggests an early bloom. I'll be posting the latest updates (when there are some) on the 2016 peak bloom forecasts page. For now, though, we'll just have to wait and see.

But here are the shots from a beautifully clear and still morning at the Tidal Basin with the trees all decked out for summer.