Cold temperatures could mean end to this year’s cherry blossoms blooms

WASHINGTON - Monday could be one of the last days to see D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms in bloom around the Tidal Basin and other parts of the region as winter-like temperatures return and threaten to end this year's season of beauty.

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"The critical temperature is 27 degrees," said National Park Service spokesperson Mike Litterst. "That's the point at which we will start to see frost burn on the blossoms. We'll start to see them going from the pretty pink and white to now start turning brown."

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Litterst said temperatures of 24 degrees and below are even more critical and could mean a 90% loss of the blossoms.

The peak bloom timeframe for the cherry blossom trees typically lasts anywhere from a week to 10 days. It's defined as when 70 percent of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open and is highlighted by an explosion of soft white and pink blooms that attracts visitors from around the world.

Litterst said fans of the trees and their blossoms have been lucky this year to have a full week of peak bloom and said the return of large crowds to the Tidal Basin made it feel like a pre-pandemic event.