Cherry Blossom Watch Begins: DC Cherry Trees Reach Stage 1

The Yoshino cherry trees around DC's Tidal Basin displayed green buds on a record-warm day

By Gina Cook • Published February 23, 2023 • Updated on March 1, 2023 at 5:10 am

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Thursday's unusually warm weather has apparently kicked D.C.'s cherry trees into blooming mode.

Green buds are popping out of the beloved Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, marking the first stage toward seeing those fluffy, pale pink blossoms.

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With our record high of 81 today Blossom Watch is on! This is only the fourth time in 150 years that DC has hit 80 degrees in February. I’m officially declaring it spring (even though we cool down tomorrow/Saturday). https://t.co/RFnBVQkolz
— Amelia Draper (@amelia_draper) February 23, 2023

Temperatures reached a record 81° Thursday afternoon at DCA, beating the previous record of 78° set on Feb. 23 in 1874. Baltimore also broke its 1874 record of 78° to hit 79°, and Dulles reached 80° — breaking a record of 77° in 2017.