The National Weather Service (NWS) defines a “White
Christmas” as having “…at least 1 inch of snow being on the ground on December
25.” Areas farther north of the DC Metro
Area have considerably higher odds of seeing a white Christmas. The average high and low temperatures in
Washington, D.C. on December 25 are 44°/30°.
Since 1884, Washington, D.C. has had measurable snowfall on Christmas
day only nine times or roughly every 15 years.
The last time accumulating snow occurred on December
25 in the Nation’s Capital was in 2002 (0.2”).
However, the last time Washingtonians had snow on the ground on
Christmas day was in 2009. That’s
because the Nation’s Capital had its largest December snowfall on record just
the week before when 16.4” was measured at National Airport on December
18-19. Although more than half had
melted by Christmas, 7” remained on the ground, creating DC’s last white
Christmas.
The coldest Christmas day in Washington, D.C. occurred
in 1983 with high/low temperatures of 14°/3°.
The last time temperatures remained below freezing on Christmas in the
Nation’s Capital was in 2000 when the high temperature was only 28°. By comparison, DC’s warmest Christmas on
record was in 1964 (72°). More recently,
DC residents had a high temperature of 69° on December 25, 2015 that tied with
1965 for third warmest Christmas. Such
temperatures are more common in late April and early May.
Precipitation of any kind, including rainfall, is much
more common on Christmas day. DC
residents have had measurable precipitation on December 25 a total of 53 times,
dating back to 1871. Washingtonians had
appreciable rainfall Christmas 2014 and 2015.
Moderate drought conditions have enveloped parts of the DC Metro Area
following a drier than average 2016-2017, so any precipitation at this point
would be beneficial.
Washington, D.C.’s snowiest Christmas
Day’s (Source: NOAA)
1. 5.4” (1962)
2. 4.5” (1909)
3. 4.3” (1969)
4. 1.0” (1902)
5. 0.6” (1935)
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