The petal prophet has spoken: Peak bloom at the Tidal Basin is happening today, "no question," according to National Parks spokesman Mike Litterst.

Why it matters: Go soon, and you may catch thousands of trees at their peak before the biggest crowds descend.

Context: Predicted peak wasn't until March 29-April 1, which means tourists may be lagging.

Driving the news: A burst of warm weather sped up the bloom after a winter freeze briefly threatened delays.

• Peak typically lasts 3-7 days.
• Today looks like the best viewing day of the year — sunny, highs in the 70s.

Yes, but: D.C. weather is the Commanders of forecasts: Anything can happen, and you brace for the worst.

• Cooler temperatures Fri-Sat (40s and 50s) like the Capital Weather Gang predicts could prolong the cherry blossoms ... but showers (Fri) and a "gusty breeze" (Sat) could knock petals off.

Between the lines: Seawall construction and new plantings means some Basin paths are closed.

• Expect detours, but also new, wider walkways.

The intrigue: The Basin's 3,700+ trees aren't the only show. The National Arboretum has 100+ cherry varieties blooming on a longer cycle.

• Arboretum experts are calling for a "super bloom" of cherries, magnolias, camellias and more.

Pro tip: Skip the gridlock — take Metro (peak bloom = peak traffic). Or try:

• 🚲 Bike tours (from $65)
• 🚤 Water taxis (from $25)
• 🛶 Kayak tours from the Wharf (starting Sat from $75)

⬆️ Boat views are outside the Basin, but still worth it.

The bottom line: Peak bloom is D.C.'s unofficial holiday, so get out there. Time and the Tidal Basin wait for no man.

Tell a friend

The Nats were dreadful last year, closing with a 66-96 record — continuing a streak of losing seasons since capturing the World Series in 2019.

• With a new front office and coach, the Nats begin their 162-game campaign today in Chicago against the Cubs.

The intrigue: Baseball writers sense an unpredictable season, with a crop of young talent who need to click for the team's offense to start firing.

🔮 One hot take: The team loses 100 games, but could still have three standout players who make the All-Stars, writes The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum.

• The squad has two previous All-Stars (James Wood and CJ Abrams) and could produce at least one more in either outfielder Daylen Lile or pitcher Cade Cavalli.

📺 How to watch: MASN is out, and a new streaming service called Nationals.TV is in, $19.99 monthly or $99.99 for the season.

• IRL: Opening Day at Nats Park is April 3 against the World Series champs LA Dodgers.

🪖 The House voted yesterday to extend President Trump's "D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force" — which helped launch the federal takeover, ramped up immigration enforcement and undertakes beautification projects. It'll need Senate approval. (WaPo)

🧱 The feds sold a vacant office building near L'Enfant Plaza to Dalian Development, which is planning to transform it into apartments. Its sale price — just $24 million for a 940,000-square-foot property — is an indicator of the steep drop in office values downtown.

🥩 Baltimore's bigwig Atlas Restaurant Group — behind a string of scene-y spots like the Choptank and Bygone — snapped up the Capitol Hill steakhouse vacated by Charlie Palmer. The Ruxton, a clubby American chophouse, opens next spring (peep the Baltimore location for a preview).

Dozens of No Kings protests are planned in the DMV Saturday, including one that'll march past the Fort McNair Army base at the tip of Buzzard Point, the current residence of Stephen Miller.

• Organizers are protesting Miller for his hand in the takeover of D.C. last summer and his support for mass deportations nationwide.

Zoom in: Other rallies are set for the GW and AU campuses, plus parts of Bethesda, Arlington, Alexandria and more — see them all on the No Kings map.

• FYI between protests, peak bloom and a ton of other happenings, it may not be the easiest weekend to get around town.

The big picture: No Kings rallies — 3,000 of them — are on the docket all over the country. Progressive groups, labor unions, and human and civil rights organizations are promoting Saturday as one of the largest single-day nonviolent protests in U.S. history.

• The flagship event is in the Twin Cities, according to organizers, with Bernie Sanders, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Jane Fonda and Bruce Springsteen scheduled to perform or speak.

Go deeper

President Trump tells Axios it's the "hottest ticket that I've ever seen."

• He's talking about UFC Freedom 250, the fight Trump is staging on the White House's South Lawn on June 14.

Donors, lobbyists, lawmakers and well-connected fans are clamoring for tickets.

• But in a Trumpian twist of marketing, the tickets' elusiveness is building buzz for the event.

Zoom in: There'll be 5,000 VIP seats around the UFC's famed Octagon on the White House South Lawn. But many of those tickets will go to military personnel, leaving perhaps just a couple thousand — and far fewer cage-side — for insiders.

Between the lines: How the Trump team chooses who gets the prized seats will speak volumes about who has juice in the Trump network.

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