How Destructive a Winter Has it Been?

Washington, D.C. had rare February severe weather in 2016  (Source: NOAA)

As meteorological winter comes to a close, this is a good time to look at how it compares to average.  As many will recall, the month of December was the warmest on record in the Nation’s Capital and for much of the eastern United States.  December was also a wetter than average month in Washington, D.C.

Although January will be remembered for the “Blizzard of 2016” in the Mid-Atlantic Region, February 2016 will primarily be remembered for two weather events.  The first was the severe weather outbreak that occurred on February 24 when more than 500 cases were reported up and down the east coast.  These included a handful of tornadoes in Virginia and North Carolina that were especially tragic due to the fatalities that occurred.  This week’s outbreak was the largest February severe weather outbreak since 2008.

February 2016 also saw the coldest stretch in Washington, D.C. in more than a decade when temperatures remained below freezing for five consecutive days.  February has been a very streaky month with regard to temperatures.  Aside from that five-day period (February 11 – 15) that was appreciably colder than average, this month has seen temperatures largely at or above normal with nine days in the 40s, six days in the 50s and four days in the 60s through February 25.  As a result, temperatures will finish close to the monthly February average.

While the month of January finished within 1.1 degrees of average, last month also featured streaky weather.  The first snowfall of the winter didn’t occur until January 12 when a few flakes fell at National Airport.  With the exception of a five-day stretch (when temperatures remained below freezing on four days) the month didn’t feature any sustained colder than average weather.  The “Blizzard of 2016” also made January 2016 one of the snowiest January’s on record in the Nation’s Capital. 

According to the National Weather Service, if you take away the 17.8 inches from the blizzard, Washingtonians have had only 4.1” of snow – less than a third of the average seasonal snowfall.  All it takes is one significant winter storm – or severe weather outbreak – to make it a record setting or destructive season.