DC Area Snowfall

December 9 Snow in Germantown, Maryland

Washingtonians have had a total of 3.1” so far this winter or roughly 20% of the annual average of 15.4” of snow, according to NOAA.  That’s despite the unusually frigid weather which enveloped the Mid-Atlantic Region from late-December through mid-January.

However, the storm track hasn’t been favorable for any significant rain or snow in the DC Metro Area for a long time now.  The last time at least 0.5” of rain occurred in Washington, D.C. was on November 7.  Area snow lovers shouldn’t fret, though, as February remains the snowiest month on average with 5.7” of snow.  February has featured some of the largest snowstorms on record in the Nation’s Capital, such as in 1979, 1983 and 2003.  There are some parallels between those winters and this one.  For example, a total of only 6.6” of snow fell in the Nation’s Capital between December 1, 1982 and January 31, 1983.  But, the record February 1983 winter storm brought 16.6” of snow and the month ended with a snow total of 21”.

More recently, the 2013-2014 winter season featured some of DC’s coldest weather in decades, including DC’s first high temperature of less than 20° on January 22, 2014 (19°) since January 20, 1994 (18°).  A total of 8.1” of snow occurred at National Airport from December 2013 to January 2014.  However, February and March 2014 brought Washingtonians roughly three times that amount for a total of 23.9” of snow.  In a relatively rare feat, March 2014 was the snowiest month of the entire 2013-2014 winter (12.7”) and DC’s snowiest March since 1960. 

Similarly, the 2015-2016 winter season got off to an awful start for area snow lovers with the warmest December on record in the Nation’s Capital.  However, the January 22-23, 2016 snowstorm (17.8”) helped the winter season finish with above average snowfall in Washington, D.C.

Following the 3.4” of snow that fell during the entire 2016-2017 winter season in the Nation’s Capital and the 3.1” so far this winter, there are quite a few despondent snow lovers in the DC-Area.  The last time the DC Metro Area saw a total of less than 10” of snow during consecutive winters was the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 winters when only 5.1” was recorded.  

It’s worth remembering that it only takes one significant storm to change the course of an entire winter.  NOAA expects above average temperatures with near average precipitation for the DC Metro Area in February.