February 2019: Month in Review

February 1 Snowfall in Bethesda, Maryland

Despite a relatively benign final few days, this month will be remembered as a warmer and wetter than average one in the Nation’s Capital.  Temperatures will finish approximately 3° above average (looking at daily high and low temperatures) and that makes this DC’s fourth consecutive warmer than average February.  Its average temperature will be just above 42° compared to NOAA's running 30-year (1980-2010) average of 39°.

While finishing 3°/+ above (or below) average is remarkable, this February was not as warm as February 2017 or February 2018 were in the Nation’s Capital.  They were DC’s warmest and third warmest February’s on record.  Conversely, February 2015 was an unusually frigid month in the Nation’s Capital and was DC’s coldest February since 1979.  

It’s unusual for there to be four or more consecutive February’s that are above or below average.  February 2016 through February 2019 was DC’s first streak of at least four consecutive warmer than average February’s since 1997 - 2002.  The last time DC had at least four consecutive colder than average February’s was 1993 – 1996.

While February 2019 was wetter than average in the Nation’s Capital (3.52” of rain vs. 2.62”), there was also below average snowfall this month (3.7” vs. 5.7”).  Nevertheless, since January 2019 was much snowier than average, the 2018-2019 winter season as a whole will finish snowier than average in Washington, D.C.  Incorporating this February, four of the last six February’s have been wetter than average in the Nation’s Capital.

DC’s warmest temperature this month was the record high of 74° on February 5.  Meanwhile, DC’s coldest temperature this month was 18° on February 2.  The warmest day based on average temperature was February 15, with a high/low temperature of 65°/47° that produced an average temperature of 56°.  DC’s coldest day this month occurred February 1, with a high/low temperature of 24°/20°.  It was quite unusual for DC to go from a high temperature of only 24° February 1 (20° below the average high of 44° for the date) to a record high of 74° just four days later. 

It’s worth noting that the record warmth on February 5 with highs in the 70s made for DC’s third consecutive February with at least one day in the 70s.  Dating back to 1993, Washington, D.C. averages roughly one such day every February.  By comparison, DC has averaged roughly the same number of February days with highs in the 20s.