2014 Cherry Blossom Watch

This is the archive of Cherry Blossom Watch updates for 2014. The peak bloom date was April 10, which is about a week after the average.

Washington DC had a cold and wintry winter in 2013-14. January was the coldest in decades. February was also colder than average. And with several snowstorms and very cold temperatures, March set new records for cold and snow. It all pushed back the blooming of all the flowers in the DC area, not just the cherry blossoms.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 15, 2014

The cherry blossoms are mostly done now. Most trees have dropped all or nearly all of their petals and are starting to be covered with green leaves. If you go hunting, you can find the occasional tree that’s lagging behind and still has some pink blossoms, but they’re few and far between. But the Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms not far away are just starting to come out.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 13, 2014

It’s another beautiful spring morning, and the cherry blossoms are still in full bloom. There are more petals on the ground now, and when you look closely you can find green leaves poking through on more branches, but overall the blossoms are still in their prime.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 11, 2014

The cherry blossoms are looking glorious. They’re in full bloom, and it’ll be prime viewing over the weekend. On some trees, you can spot some of the green leaves poking through, but for the most part they’re covered in beautiful white flowers in their prime.

NPS Calls Peak Bloom as April 10

The National Park Service this morning judged that 70 percent of the cherry blossoms were open today, making this year’s peak bloom date April 10.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 9, 2014

It’s a sparkling spring morning down at the Tidal Basin. There’s a bit of a chill in the air and a slight breeze, but otherwise it’s a very pleasant morning. The trees are looking beautiful, and it’ll be prime viewing from today through the weekend.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: April 7, 2014

The National Park Service has decided that as of today 70 percent of the blossoms have reached the “puffy white” stage. And while some trees are white with fully open blossoms, others are still lagging behind.

2014 Peak Bloom Forecasts

The latest information and forecasts on when Washington DC’s cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin will reach peak bloom in Spring 2014.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: March 26, 2014

After yet another round of cold, wintry, and snowy weather, the cherry blossoms–along with all the other flowering trees and plants in the area–are still well behind their average schedule. Comparing the photos from this time in 2013, we’re still tracking behind last year.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: March 19, 2014

We have the first signs of green tips coming through as the buds get more pronounced. From a distance, there’s the first hint of the reddish brown tint the trees will get as the buds change color and get larger.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: March 5, 2014

The National Park Service has issued its first peak bloom forecast for the season, but there’s still plenty of snow around the Tidal Basin. The buds are getting more prominent, but they’re still wrapped tight.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: February 8, 2014

It’s still cold. There’s still a layer of ice covering much of the Tidal Basin. And the weather forecast for the coming week is still very much a winter forecast. In other words, there’s still a ways to go before we start seeing some cherry blossom action.

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Cherry Blossom Watch Update: January 29, 2014

It’s cold. Local temperatures have been consistently dipping down to the low teens or single digits at night, and days have rarely peaked above freezing. The Tidal Basin and Potomac are both frozen and covered in a fresh layer of snow, topped up by a light snowfall overnight.