DC Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom as the Festival Begins

Spectators flock under the cherry tree blossoms during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., in 2011. Photo courtesy of Nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

By Vickie Frantz, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

Mar 18, 2012; 1:49 PM ET

A warm spring for the District of Columbia has caused the cherry tree blossoms to mature more rapidly than usual.
"D.C. is averaging 10 degrees F above normal for so far for the month of March," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Edwards.
The warm air at night allowed the blossoms to continue growing. They are predicted to reach their peak bloom between March 20 and March 23, according to The Associated Press.
This year's Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., celebrates the centennial of the gift of cherry trees from Tokyo.
The first two trees were planted by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, on the north bank of the Tidal Basin on March 27, 1912, according to Nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
Today, nearly 100 of the original cherry tress planted in the Tidal Basin are still living.
The United States Government gave a gift of flowering dogwood trees to Japan in 1915.
A reenactment of the first planting of the trees by school children in 1927 is determined to be the first festival.

 

Cherry tree blossoms in full bloom with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. Photo courtesy of Nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
The festival this year is five weeks long with special events planned beginning on March 20 and continuing through April 27, 2012.
"Much of this week the temperatures will be above normal with temperatures in the middle to upper 70s through Friday," Edwards said.
"Some trapped moisture along the coast may cause some spotty showers from time to time, but nothing widespread. Overall, this week's weather looks to be pretty good."

DC Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom as the Festival Begins