Cherry blossom forecast: Sunny weather in store for peak bloom this week
Washington DC's Cherry Blossoms are blooming earlier than expected because of warmer weather, giving tourist an early treat.
Pleasantly warm, breezy and dry conditions graced the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday for the Blossom Kite Festival.
While it will be cooler for peak bloom on Monday, it will still be ideal for blossom viewing.
According to the National Park Service, the peak date for the Yoshino cherry blossoms this year is Monday, April 1.
Peak bloom occurs when approximately 70 percent or more of the blooms are open, but the blooms should hold through at least the first half of the week.
Normally, the peak bloom occurs later in the month; however, a string of very warm days in mid-March, as well as slightly above-average temperatures throughout the winter brought it forward this year, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
A plane is visible through kites flown during the Blossom Kite Festival at the Washington Monument, Saturday, March 30, 2019, in Washington. Peak bloom is expected April 1, according to the National Park Service. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The average bloom date has trended earlier over the years, away from the original date of April 4, the day in 1921 when the trees were gifted to the United States from Japan.
This year, peak bloom will begin in the midst of changeable weather conditions.
Following an unusually warm start to the weekend with a high near 80 F, temperatures were held about 20 degrees Fahrenheit lower on Sunday.
"It is unlikely that Sunday's rain was heavy enough to significantly damage the blossoms, which are generally the sturdiest just prior to and during peak bloom," Sosnowski said.
Gusty winds that started howling on Sunday and will continue to blow into Monday morning may strip some of the blossoms from the trees.
Anyone heading outdoors first thing on Monday will need to bundle up as temperatures bottom out near freezing.
"The winds will hold AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures to the 20s in the morning," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
As the wind calms throughout the day, temperatures will rise into the low 50s with lots of sunshine, making for an overall pleasant day.
Clouds will increase on Tuesday ahead of a coastal nor'easter Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
"Impact from the storm on the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., should be minimal, although there will be some trouble on the Atlantic coast from the Carolinas to Massachusetts and Maine," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
However, sunny conditions will return as Wednesday progresses.
It will be increasingly warm, with temperatures again approaching the 70-degree mark on Wednesday and Thursday.
To keep an eye on the forecast, download the free AccuWeather app and enter Washington, D.C., for the forecast location.
