Portland's cherry blossoms are expected to hit peak bloom this week — weather depending — according to Parks and Recreation. The big picture: Blossom lovers vying to snag content of the flowering trees are expected to swarm Tom McCall Waterfront Park starting Thursday through the end of the month — so plan your trip accordingly.

Cherry blossom season is one of Portland’s best transition points. When those little pink and white buds start popping out all over town, everyone knows our deep, dark winter is finally over. Already,

There is no surer sign of springtime in Portland than the arrival of the cherry blossoms. Those pink-and-white fluffs, that cotton-candy canopy—the way the rain of petals feels, as Bryan Vance put it on a recent episode of City Cast Portland, like something out of a Disney movie. It’s incredible. And fleeting.