DC Cherry Blossoms in 2021
It seems increasingly likely that DC will still be under COVID-19 restrictions in spring 2021 while the cherry blossoms are blooming. So it's shaping up to be a good year to follow along from afar from the safety and comfort of your home.
The snow is gone (for now), and aside from some scattered piles of snow here and there, there’s not much evidence of the blizzard from two weeks ago. The trees don’t seem any worse for wear from the snow, and I didn’t come across any fallen branches this visit or last.
The very warm start to February thawed the Potomac and most of the Tidal Basin. Now that we’re back into more typical winter temperatures for the past few days there’s a very thin layer of ice on maybe a quarter of the Tidal Basin.
As you can see from the photos below, the cherry blossom buds are very much still in the early stages. There won’t be a lot of change to see in them over the next few weeks, but through March the progression will accelerate as they move through the various developmental stages on their way from buds to blossoms.
At the end of January we ended up just over 1° below normal for the month. Last year we had a very cold February that helped push the cherry blossoms’ bloom–along with most of the area’s other flowers–very late. So far, at least, there’s not much to suggest that we’ll get a repeat of that unusually chilly month overall, although we might be in store for some very cold nights yet.
Here’s how we’re tracking so far for monthly average temperatures. It’s still too early in the month for the February average to be meaningful, and after a balmy first few days of February we seem to be settling in to more typical winter weather.
| December | January | February | March | Peak Bloom Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | +2.4 | +6.4 | +4.8 | +7.3* | March 20 |
| 2018-19 | +3.8 | +1.2 | +3.2 | +0.0 | April 1 |
| 2017-18 | -0.5 | -0.3 | +6.3 | -3.2 | April 5 |
| 2016-17 | +2.1 | +6.1 | +8.7 | -0.7* | March 25 |
| 2015-16 | +11.5 | -1.1 | +0.9 | +6.5* | March 25 |
| 2014-15 | +4.0 | -0.4 | -8.7 | -1.5 | April 10 |
| 2013-14 | +2.6 | -3.8 | -1.2 | -3.9 | April 10 |
| 2012-13 | +5.9 | +4.3 | -0.7 | -3.0 | April 9 |
| 2011-12 | +4.9 | +4.7 | +5.3 | +10 | March 20 |
| 2010-11 | - | -1.3 | +3.6 | -0.9 | March 29 |
ˤ = partial month, in progress
* = up until peak bloom
We’re still a few weeks away from when we’d expect the first major peak bloom forecasts to be issued. They typically come around the beginning of March. As always, you can find the latest information on the 2016 peak bloom forecasts page.
Photos from This Morning
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)
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