Some Perspective on March 2017

March is the first month of meteorological spring and often features a wide variety of weather in the Nation’s Capital.  That includes snow and cold as well as summer-like heat and thunderstorms.  March 2017 has been no different with a few key weather headlines in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Large temperature swings are fairly common during the month of March.  Following the March 1 high temperature of 80 degrees, the low temperature on March 4 was 26 degrees making for a 54-degree swing in temperature.  Low temperatures from March 10 – March 17 were below freezing.  To add to that, high temperatures remained in the 30s on March 14-15 making for the coldest two day stretch in the Nation’s Capital since early January.  NOAA data indicates average March temperatures in Washington, D.C. range from a high/low of 51/34 degrees on March 1 to 61/42 degrees on March 31.

Dating back to 1997, 12 of the last 20 Marchs have been warmer than average.  DC’s warmest and third warmest Marchs occurred in 2012 and 2016, respectively.  However, from 2013 through 2015, Washingtonians experienced three consecutive colder than average Marchs for the first time since the early 1990s.  The Nation’s Capital has had seven snowier than average Marchs – including this month - in the same 20-year time period.

Although rare, March can also feature summer-like heat in Washington, D.C.  For example, Washingtonians had five consecutive days with temperatures in the 80s from March 12 – March 16, 1990.  That facilitated the earliest ever peak bloom of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin (March 15).  In 1998, high temperatures at National Airport reached the 80s four times from March 27 through March 31.

Only 3 months have been wetter than average in Washington, D.C. since August 2015.  That’s led to a rainfall deficit of more than 13 inches.  It’s vital for agricultural interests and gardeners alike that the Mid-Atlantic Region puts a dent in that rainfall deficit during the spring months.  Having above average rainfall in the spring would help alleviate some of the drought conditions before the summer heat arrives.  Fortunately, there are a few chances of rain for the Nation’s Capital over the next week.