Trying to figure out which day to go take photos of cherry blossoms?
Scientists around the world have tried to predict the day for peak blooms, and April 5 appears to be the winner in Vancouver.
"When the entries are combined, the overall consensus is that the cherry trees will bloom between late March and early April. The average predicted peak bloom date [is]... April 5th for Liestal-Weideli (Switzerland) and Vancouver," states the international Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition.
The date is slightly later than the predicted date last year (April 2) even though the expectation is for the date to drift earlier.
"While it is known that cherry trees tend to bloom earlier each year as climates warm, complex weather patterns make annual predictions extremely difficult," states the competition website.
Most researchers put the date as within a couple of days of April 5 in Vancouver, but predictions range from March 19 to April 21.
The competition, run by George Mason University in Virginia, USA, involves UBC researcher Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich. Last year was its first year, and April 2 was predicted.
