2016 in Review

2016 Brought Unique Weather to Washington, D.C.

December will finish as another warmer and drier than average month in Washington, D.C.  Ten of the 12 months of 2016 have been warmer and drier than average in the Nation’s Capital.  That’s contributed to an annual rainfall deficit of approximately eight inches at National Airport.  This year Washingtonians have dealt with a record January snowstorm, record summer heat and ongoing drought conditions.

Last winter featured the warmest December (2015) on record in the Nation’s Capital.  The first measureable snowfall of last winter didn’t occur until relatively late in the season on January 17, 2016.  Ironically, Washington, D.C. saw its fourth largest snowstorm on record with 17.8” at National Airport less than a week later (on January 22-23).  Suburbs north and west of town saw as much as double that amount, with some isolated snow totals of more than 40”.

Despite the copious amount of snow, January 2016 still finished with slightly below average precipitation at National Airport.  Meteorologists measure the liquid equivalent of the snowfall and this snow had a relatively low water content.  That’s how January was able to finish as a slightly drier than average month.  With the exception of February and May, every month of 2016 was drier than average at National Airport.  Following the driest fall since 2001 in Washington, D.C., moderate drought conditions enveloped much of the DC Metro Region.  The rainfall deficit has grown to more than 6.5” at National Airport just since September 1. 

Although July got off to a cooler than average start – including Washington, D.C.’s coolest Independence Day since 1941 – the month still finished as being one of the hottest on record.  Washingtonians had their first instance of triple-digit heat since 2012 when the high temperature reached 100 degrees on July 25, followed by three more days of triple digit heat in August.  The combination of hot and dry conditions acerbated the previously dry conditions.  This became especially significant during the fall as temperatures remained warmer than average with no appreciable shift in the weather pattern to bring the Mid-Atlantic Region any additional rainfall.

National weather headlines in 2016 include above average rainfall in parts of the western United States early in the year, as well as Hurricane Matthew’s impacts on the southeastern United States in October.  Also, devastating flooding occurred in Ellicott City, Maryland in late July due to slow-moving thunderstorms.  Locally, the dominant weather story as the year comes to a close in the Nation’s Capital remains the continued warmer and drier than average weather.