Countdown to cherry blossom season starts... NOW!

It’s almost that time of year: cherry blossom season.

In Seattle, one of the most popular places to catch the cherry blossoms is the University of Washington. The trees there are expected to bloom by the third week of March.

It’s one of the signs of spring in Seattle when the Quad is covered in a pink canopy of cherry blossoms. Luckily the recent snow storm did not damage the cherry trees — though the colder temperatures this month could affect the blossoms’ timing.

The trees were planted before World War II in the Arboretum, but later moved to the Quad in 1962 to make way for Highway 520.

Another fun fact: The trees have been cloned and planted in various parts of the campus. The younger clones usually bloom around the same time.

Want to follow the cherry trees’ progress? Check out the UW Quad webcam.