One of Washington D.C.’s biggest annual tourist attractions, the tidal basin cherry blossoms, are almost in full swing. After the cold burst and snow storm delayed the original cherry blossom bloom prediction, they are expected to peak going into the weekend. Because of the moderate weather, the bloom is advancing slowly, but starting Thursday, March 23, the weather will go from moderate to warm. The peak should come in perfect timing with the weekend.

The mid March snow storm was expected to destroy a majority of the blossom but recent reports suggest otherwise. The National Park Service suggested that nearly 50 percent of the bloom would be destroyed but recent reports suggest otherwise. It is said there is evident damage done to the trees and you can see that because every branch on the same tree is at a different stage in the blosum. All the talk about the less magnificent cherry blossoms were expected to lessen the number of tourists this year. Every year when the blossoms are at their peak, tourists from around the United States and around the world.

As the blossoms are already out, but although they have not yet peaked, they are nonetheless beautiful. There will be trees with blossoms all around the basin with bursting trees. There will be other trees that are damaged and have few or no blossoms on them because of the cold snap while the trees were in a vulnerable stage. The other worry is cherry blossoms in vulnerable stages will be damaged by the freeze Wednesday and Thursday nights. Even with all the freezing, the Cherry Blossoms are expected to be almost as magnificent as previous years and they will still bring a large crowd of tourists to our Nation’s Capitol from all around the country and the world.