What’s Special about Spring 2018 in D.C. ?

Spring 2018 (March, April and May) featured some unique weather in the D.C. Metro Area.  March was the snowiest month of the year despite being the first month of spring.  In fact, the Nation’s Capital got more snow in March 2018 (4.5”) than the entire three months prior (3.3”).  To add to that, the 4.1” of snow that fell on March 21, 2018 was D.C.’s largest snow total in more than two years, according to National Weather Service (NWS) data.  

April’s signature weather event occurred on April 16.  That’s when an overnight deluge occurred in the D.C. Metro Area with widespread 1” to 2” rainfall totals that produced street flooding.   According to the NWS, the 1.88” of rain at National Airport ended up being more than half of D.C.’s April rainfall total of 3.59”.  Last month was also wetter than average in the Nation’s Capital and was D.C.’s sixth wettest May on record (8.73”).  

Unlike March and April that were cooler than average, May 2018 was significantly warmer than average.  May 2018 was the third warmest on record in Washington, D.C. and was 17.5° warmer than April that finished 1.9° cooler than average.  May’s average temperature of 72.4° was 6.4° warmer than average.  That produced a dramatic net difference in average temperature of 8.3° between April and May.

There have been 12 drier and warmer than average springs in the Nation’s Capital over the last 20 years.  Although official weather statistics for the spring haven’t yet been released by the NWS, the 2018 spring is poised to finish warmer and wetter than average in Washington, D.C.  D.C.’s average spring temperature is 56.5° (combining daily high and low temperatures for March, April and May).  Washingtonians can expect 10.53” of rain based on the years of 1981 – 2010.

Not too much should be read into these spring statistics since the summer months can be completely different.  For example, the summers of 2010, 2012 and 2016 were both hot and dry and each followed a warmer and drier than average spring.  By comparison, the summer of 2000 was D.C.’s coolest since 1972 and followed a warmer than average spring.  NOAA currently expects warmer and wetter than average conditions in the Mid-Atlantic Region this summer.

D.C.’s Ten Warmest Spring’s on Record (Source: NWS)

1.  62.2° - 2012
2.  60.7° - 1977
3.  60.5° - 2010
4.  60.0° - 1991
5.  59.5° - 1945
6.  59.3° - 2015, 2004
8.  59.1° - 1985
9.  59.0° - 1921
10.  58.8° - 2017

Average: 56.5°

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D.C.’s Wettest Spring’s on Record (Source: NWS)

1.  24.02” – 1889
2.  22.89” – 1953
3.  19.72” – 1886
4.  18.38” – 2008
5.  15.69” – 2014
6.  15.58” – 1948
7.  15.57” – 1969
8.  15.50” – 1891
9.  15.09” – 1913
10.  14.46” – 1952
11.  14.29” – 1892
12.  14.24” – 2009
Average – 10.53”