Has March Been Colder than Average?

Late March Cold in the Mid-Atlantic Region

March 2015 is on the verge of officially becoming the third consecutive colder than average March in the Nation’s Capital.  As recently as Saturday, parts of the Mid-Atlantic Region experienced record cold such as at Dulles Airport, where a new record was set for the coldest “high” temperature of 37 degrees.  That was significantly colder than the average high of 60 degrees on March 28 at Dulles Airport.  

Although high temperatures reached the 70s downtown twice in March, that did little to offset the predominantly colder than average temperatures Washingtonians endured this month.  There were two occasions this month where high temperatures held in the 30s, which is significant as the March sun angle gets higher.  A total of 4.9” of snow also occurred this month, which is almost quadruple the March average of 1.3” at National Airport.  This month’s average temperature (combining daily highs and lows) will also finish roughly 1.5 degrees colder than average in Washington, D.C.

March 2014 was even colder and was the coldest March since 1996 in Washington, D.C.  However, most will remember last March for the above average snowfall that occurred.  Not only was there a snowy St. Patrick’s Day in the Nation’s Capital last year, but the 3.9” of snow that fell on March 17, 2014, also set a daily snowfall record.  The late season snow continued the following week with another 1.7” of snow on March 25, 2014.  March 2014 was the snowiest March in more than 40 years in Washington, D.C., and was the snowiest March on record at Dulles Airport.

There was a thirteen degree temperature swing in Washington, D.C., between March 2012 (the warmest March on record – that was 10 degrees warmer than average) and March 2013 (that was 3 degrees colder than average).  The warmest temperature during all of March 2013 was 63 degrees, while Washingtonians enjoyed 14 days with temperatures of least 70 degrees the previous March.

By the time 1.4” of snow fell at National Airport on March 25, 2013, more than two years had passed since the last time an inch or more of snow fell in Washington, D.C.  So in addition to being colder than average, March 2013 saw the single largest snowfall in the Nation’s Capital since January 2011.  As a result of being colder than average, the Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin didn’t reach peak bloom until April 9, 2013, according to the U.S. Park Service.  By comparison, the 2012 Cherry Blossoms reached peak bloom almost three weeks earlier on March 20.

According the National Weather Service, the last time there were three consecutive colder than average March’s in the Nation’s Capital was in 1992, 1993 and 1994.  As Washingtonians saw then, a colder than average March doesn’t mean the entire spring will be colder than average.  It does mean if you're looking forward to sustained spring-like temperatures, than you will appreciate them even more once they arrive.  In the meantime, longtime Washingtonians can fondly remember the record high of 87 degrees that occurred on this date in 1998.