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The cool temperatures that had been helping to prolong the bloom might have taken things too far last night. It dipped into the low to mid-20s, which is nearly 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. And it's into the danger zone for the cherry blossoms. The extent of the damage isn't fully clear yet, but it's looking a bit grim. As of this morning, they're still white/pink. But they're also quite shriveled and droopy and clearly not their usual selves. You might notice in the photos below that there are no close-ups of open flowers–that's because I...

A mild winter followed by a spate of cold weather in Washington, made its mark on the city’s cherry blossoms, but the annual festival delighted first-time visitors on Sunday. The cherry blossom trees were a gift from Japan to the United States in 1912. The cherry blossom trees currently grow in three National Park Service locations, including the Tidal Basin, Hains Point and on the Washington Monument grounds. The cold weather killed half of the blossoms on the Yoshino cherry trees just as they were reaching their peak. The National Park Service says on its website that peak bloom was...

Washington’s Japanese cherry trees are expected to be at peak bloom between March 14-17, the National Park Service announced Wednesday.

Average Peak Bloom Date: April 4 2013 Peak Blooming Date Prediction: April 3 – April 6 Exactly when the buds will open is not easy to predict and it is extremely difficult to give an accurate forecast much more than 10 days before peak bloom. National Park Service horticulturists monitor five distinct stages of bud development and provide timely forecasts and updates.

Cherry Blossom parade might be nixed if there's a shutdown By Michael O'Brien - 04/06/11 12:38 PM ET The National Cherry Blossom Parade may not take place if there is a government shutdown, the Obama administration cautioned Wednesday. Among the government operations and services that could be closed would be national parks, which includes the site of Saturday's parade in Washington, D.C. A senior administration official singled out the parade during a conference call Wednesday morning hosted by the Office of Management and Budget. Federal agencies have sought to identify which employees and services would be furloughed if lawmakers can't...

The cherry blossoms are in bloom at the Jefferson Memorial. It's worth seeing -- especially on a sunny day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk7wH5hokRI

Nearly all Japan basking in record temperatures A record spell of warm weather has spread to nearly all parts of Japan, with temperatures rising to levels usually seen in April, May or early summer, and cherry blossoms are already out in central Tokyo -- the earliest time on record. Officials at the Japan Meteorological Agency agree that it is rare for such high temperatures to occur across the country. In the Kanto area, the Somei-Yoshino flowering cherry trees are already in blossom. The agency officially confirmed that the trees were in flower in central Tokyo on Saturday, 12 days earlier...