April's Roller Coaster in the Nation's Capital

Great Falls, MD

April continues the trend of highly variable weather in the Mid-Atlantic Region that’s so common during the spring.  There have been some memorable examples of both summer and winter like temperatures combined with severe weather in the Nation’s Capital during the month of April over the last twenty years.

In the span of just 24 hours, the weather spanned two seasons in Washington, D.C., on April 9 and 10, 1995.  The high temperature on April 9 reached 84 degrees (D.C.’s average high on June 13).  Just a day later, the high temperature was only 54 degrees (D.C.’s average high on March 10).  Fortunately, there wasn’t any violent weather associated with this dramatic temperature swing in the DC Metro Region.  On April 9, 1996, the high temperature was only 44 degrees downtown (characteristic of February 1) while 2.5” of snow fell at Dulles Airport.  High temperatures were in the low 80s in the Nation’s Capital just three days later.

A significant tornado outbreak occurred from April 6 through April 9, 1998.  A total of 62 tornadoes touched down during this four day period, including one of the strongest on record.  On April 8, an F5 tornado touched down in Birmingham, AL, and caused 32 fatalities.  A much weaker tornado, an F0, developed in Chesapeake, VA, on April 9, 1998.

  

On April 19, 2013, two relatively weak tornadoes occurred in the DC Metro Region.  An EF0 tornado formed in Largo, MD, while an EF1 tornado was observed in Fredericksburg. VA.  Fortunately, they caused only minor damage.  This severe weather followed record heat that occurred the previous week when a record high of 91 was observed on April 10 at National Airport.  Dramatic swings in temperature can help create an atmosphere that’s conducive for thunderstorms. 

Starting in 2007, the Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale was updated and became the “Enhanced Fujita Scale.”  That means tornadoes are no longer ranked as F0 to F5, but rather EF0 to EF5.  NOAA climate records show April has the third highest monthly average number of tornadoes in the United States.  Fortunately, today’s weather will be nothing short of stellar with ample sunshine and comfortable temperatures in the Nation’s Capital.  That’s lucky for residents and tourists alike who are eager to spend time outdoors at the Cherry Blossom Festival, the National Zoo or doing any number of outdoor activities.