Changeable Spring Weather in the Nation's Capital

Gaithersburg, Maryland

The Nation’s Capital has experienced some diverse weather so far this spring.  Meteorological spring runs from March 1 through May 31, so the spring is nearly two thirds complete as the final week of April begins.  During just the last week, there has been a full spectrum of weather in the Mid-Atlantic Region with weather characteristic of both early March and early June

The high temperature on April 18 was 84 degrees at National Airport which was its warmest temperature since last September.  Two days later it was 82 degrees which is the average high for June 7.  Meanwhile, yesterday’s high temperature in Washington, D.C., was only 53 degrees.  That’s the average high temperature on March 7 so to experience a temperature change – that normally takes 3 months – in less than a week makes it tough for outdoor enthusiasts. 

Most of April has seen above average temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic Region, but the final week of the month will continue to feature cooler than average weather.  That helps illustrate the importance of waiting until early May to plant sensitive vegetation when the danger of frost has passed.  Low temperatures flirted with the freezing mark yesterday in Baltimore where the low temperature was 33 degrees while yesterday’s low temperature at Dulles Airport was 35 degrees.

Last month saw the reverse trend in the Nation’s Capital with March starting much colder than average.  Nearly 5” of snow fell in Washington, D.C., on March 5 which set a record for the date.   According to the National Weather Service, the high of 30 degrees on March 6 was barely greater than half the average high temperature of 52 degrees.  The colder than average weather that much of the United States experienced last month did have a silver line as it helped reduced the amount of severe weather that occurred in March.

By comparison, outdoor enthusiasts were thrilled with the significantly warmer than average weather that occurred during the first three weeks of April.  The Cherry Blossoms reached their peak bloom along the Tidal Basin a week later than average because of the colder than average winter.  But that helped residents and tourists alike appreciate their splendor that much more.  Despite the colder than average final week of April, this month will still finish warmer than average.  When the hazy, hot and humid weather of summer arrives, Washingtonians will fondly remember the cooler than average weather this final week of April has featured.