Blossoms have appeared on D.C.'s most famous cherry trees, and we are just one step away from peak bloom.
The cherry trees at the tidal basin have reached their puffy white stage.
"The blossoms are out, now we're just waiting for them to open," the National Park Service said Friday.
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You can see the cherry blossoms on the Trust for the National Mall's Bloom Cam.
It's been just under two weeks since blossom watch began with the first stage on Saturday, March 2, when green buds appeared.
Warm temperatures helped push the cherry blossoms from their peduncle elongation stage to puffy white in about three days.
Peak bloom is declared when 70% of the blossoms on the Tidal Basin’s cherry trees are open. If weather conditions are good, peak bloom can last as long as 10 days.
Peak bloom usually comes two to five days after puffy white begins, according to National Park Service data.
This weekend's cooldown could slow down peak bloom – just like it did last year. But Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper says it's not supposed to get cold enough to harm many of the flowers.
Most blossoms can withstand temperatures as low as 27°, Draper said.
When will the cherry blossoms reach peak bloom?
Weather will determine the timeline for peak bloom.
Storm Team4 Meteorologist Doug Kammerer projected peak bloom will begin on March 24.
The National Park Service estimated projected peak bloom dates are March 23 to 26.
"Determining the dates for peak bloom is one of the great puzzles in the nation's capital," said Jeff Reinbold, the NPS' superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. "Emerging from the warmest January on record, this has been a particularly puzzling year to read the trees and establish a projected date for peak bloom."
Due to the warmer-than-average temperatures, the trees never went fully dormant, which is what the NPS uses to calculate peak bloom. In addition, the NPS' designated "indicator tree" has been showing several different bloom phases, reflecting the wide range of temperatures we've been getting.
"We're seeing the effects of both warmer and highly variable temperatures on the trees," Reinbold said.
The cherry trees that Japan gave to the United States more than 100 years ago draw visitors from around the world.
How does Storm Team4 predict peak bloom?
The cherry trees have to complete a long journey before peak bloom, and weather plays a huge role in how quickly the flowers grow.
Cherry blossoms bloom in stages: green bud, florets visible, extension of florets, peduncle elongation and puffy white all come before the full bloom.
Last year, D.C.’s famed trees had green buds as of Feb. 23, and peak bloom was declared on March 23.
While we were running a little behind schedule, warm temperatures helped the blossoms grow.
Last year, we reached peak bloom on March 23, which is still on the early side.
The most common time for peak bloom is between the last week of March and the first week of April, according to the NPS.
