DC cherry blossoms are peaking earlier. Map shows best places to view

Around the National Mall in Washington, DC this week, cherry blossoms are the main attraction as they near the point of full flower known as "peak bloom."

In spite of the bitter winter chill and snow earlier in March, the legendary blooms are quickly unfurling after temperatures hit a high of 78 degrees over the weekend.

Six stages define the blossom process, from green buds through puffy white flowers to peak bloom. The National Park Service defines peak bloom as the day when 70% of the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

"We're getting so close," the National Mall, part of the National Park Service, posted on X on the morning of March 25 as it keeps the nation updated on each stage of the blossoms. "At least a third of the Yoshino cherry trees are still at Stage 5: Puffy White this morning, but as the sun rises and the temperature increases, we could hit Peak Bloom soon."

Peak bloom is expected by Thursday, March 26, Mike Litterst, communications chief for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, told USA TODAY.

The cloud-like blossoms have been opening in Washington since Japan gave about 3,000 cherry trees to the U.S. as a friendship gift in 1912. They are the centerpiece of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Cherry trees blooming earlier

Long-term data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows the peak bloom dates have shifted earlier by roughly seven or eight days since 1921, and occurred before April 3 in 16 of the most recent 20 years.

Scientists have "very high confidence that recent warming trends in global climate are causing spring events such as leaf growth and flower blooms to happen earlier," the EPA previously stated.

An EPA website page that explained how climate warming leads to earlier peak blooming was redirected in early 2025, according to a search of the Internet Archive. The agency’s website previously listed 50 indicators showing the cause and effect of climate change, and the cherry blossom historical information was among those. The indicators page also was taken offline, however, a technical document that shows cherry blossom bloom dates in Washington, DC remains online and can be found via a search.

In Seattle, University of Washington researchers also have noted the Yoshino cherry trees responding to change.

They are "highly correlated with transition-season temperatures, from February through early March, as the accumulation of temperature during this time has a strong influence on the flowering process," the university's website states. Climate change is creating conditions for earlier blooms but also may create susceptibility to cold snaps with miscues about early warmth create "false springs," the university observed.

Where can you see the cherry trees in Washington, DC?

How long does 'peak bloom' last?

That depends on the weather, according to the park service. The trees typically bloom for several days. Calm, cool weather can extend the length of bloom, while rain and wind bring the extravaganza to an end more quickly.

Cherry trees also bloom earlier in other global locations

It’s not just the United States where cherry trees are reaching full bloom sooner than they used to. It also happens in London and Japan.

At Kew Gardens in London, records from the past 270 years show that trees like magnolias, cherries, plums and blackthorns flower up to a month earlier than they did in the 18th century.

"The shift isn’t random," Kew states. "Early blossom is a record of climate change. What we're seeing is not just early beauty, but a warning system for ecosystems, agriculture and how our springs will look in the future."

In Japan this spring, forecasts for full cherry tree bloom range up to eight days earlier than normal, according to the Cherry blossom page maintained by the Japanese Meteorological Corporation.

"Due to the high temperatures in early spring this season, flowering is expected to be earlier than average nationwide," the private meteorological corporation said. The trees are expected to reach full bloom up to eight days early in Sapporo and Nagano, and be close to normal in Kagoshima and Wakayama.

USA TODAY journalists Dinah Voyles Pulver and Jennifer Borresen have covered weather and the environment for decades.