Warm and Dry Weather Continues

NOAA expects above average November
temperatures for much of the United States

It’s remarkable how much this month’s weather has resembled September and October.  Thursday, November 3 saw a record high of 83 degrees in Washington, D.C. compared to the average high of 63 degrees.  That was also the warmest November day in the Nation’s Capital since November 15, 1993 (also 83 degrees).  

The last four months have featured significantly warmer than average temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  Area residents may know that July was the sixth warmest on record, while August finished within 0.1 of a degree of a tie for hottest on record.  September 2016 tied for second hottest and last month was the tenth warmest October in the Nation’s Capital.   NOAA expects November to be warmer than average in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

There have been some cooler than average Novembers in the Mid-Atlantic Region in recent years.  For example, Novembers 2012 – 2014 were cooler than average in Washington, D.C. (the first instance of three consecutive cooler than average Novembers since 1995-1997).  However, last November was the fifth warmest on record in the Nation’s Capital and warmest since 2001.  However, most will remember last winter not for how warm November and December were, but for the record snowfall that occurred in January.

The last several months have been dry and, with the exception of gardeners and allergy sufferers, most area residents have been happy about that.  Although Washington, D.C.’s overall 2016 rainfall deficit is 5.75”, the rainfall deficit just since September 1 is 4.28”.  Today it’s less likely that a tropical systems or the remnants thereof will bring any relief in the rain deprived areas of the Mid-Atlantic Region before the hurricane season ends November 30.

Longtime residents know that snow does occur on occasion in November.  The last time Washingtonians had measureable snow in November was when 0.2” fell in 1996.  That winter saw precious little snow, with a seasonal total of only 6.7” (less than half the average of 15.4”).  However, November 1995 brought the Nation’s Capital 0.5” of snow and the 1995-1996 winter would go on to become the third snowiest on record.  These facts illustrate that no correlation exists between November’s weather and what the winter will bring.  My colleague, WUSA9 Chief Meteorologist Topper Shutt, will issue the WUSA9 winter weather outlook on the news tomorrow night at 11 PM.  The weather for Election Day on Tuesday is looking sunny and stellar for the DC Metro Region.