For decades, the thousands of blooming cherry blossom trees in the nation’s capital have served as both a magnet to visitors and the unofficial start of the tourist season for Washington, D.C. This year,

Peak bloom is reached when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open. If the projections are correct, it will happen toward the midpoint of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which spans from March 20 through April 13 this year. Once the trees hit peak bloom, they'll stay that way for about 10 days, according to FOX5 D.C.

Peak bloom is declared by the agency when 70 percent of the blossoms around the Tidal Basin — the reservoir on the National Mall — have opened.