Washington DC Cherry Blossom Peak Dates Update: A Drop in Temperature May Kill the Pink Trees
The unusually warm weather in February resulted in cherry blossoms to sprout earlier than expected in Washington D.C. However, with the current cold weather, the iconic pink trees may also get an early end date.
According to ABC News, the National Park Service is reportedly predicting peak bloom for the cherry blossoms to take place between March 19 to 22. However, recent icy weather and a drop in temperature may kill a majority of the trees.
A storm that resulted in snowfall late Monday and early Tuesday resulted in cherry blossom trees being covered in white ice. And while this is not necessarily a cause for alarm, temperature forecasts for the next few days are.
"Our big concern is the overnight temperatures for the next three nights, which are expected to drop below 27 degrees," National Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst said (via NBC Washington).
For those who are unaware, cherry blossoms usually die at temperatures below 27 degrees, which makes the expected weather rather worrisome. At that degree of coldness, around 10 percent of the pink blossoms die. NBC's Storm Team4 is apparently forecasting temperature to drop as low as 23 degrees, which would kill about 90 percent of the petals.
Right now, all there is to do is hope for the best and leave the cherry blossoms alone. Visitors are encouraged not to attempt to jiggle the branches to get rid of the snow. This will only worsen their condition.
"Our policy is just to let nature take it's course," Litterst said. "We'll know more over the next couple days."
The storm has already resulted in setbacks for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, effectively delaying the start date from Wednesday, March 15, to Saturday, March 18. With any luck, the cherry blossoms will be at full bloom by the opening with no temperature troubles to worry about.
Stay tuned for the latest news and updates.
