DC’s Coldest Time of the Year ?

NOAA expects warmer than average conditions to soon return to DC

Although the first half of January 2020 got off to an exceptionally warm start, DC residents are in the midst of a significant course correction with several colder than average days.  The average temperature in the Nation’s Capital for January 1 – 16 was an astounding 10.5° warmer than average.  However, today will be DC’s third colder than average day out of the last four, the longest such stretch since December 18 – 22, 2019.  With highs this Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day in the mid-30s, it will be significantly warmer than a year ago when DC’s high temperature was a frigid 24°.  

Current temperatures aren’t anywhere near record levels, but feel especially cold given how warm the first half of the month was.  DC residents experienced highs in the 70s on consecutive January days (January 11 – 12) this month for the first time since 1997.  By comparison, DC’s average high/low temperatures are at their lowest from January 12 – 22 (43°/28°) according to NOAA.  However, DC’s record lows during the month of January range between 6° and -14°.  DC’s coldest January high temperatures range from 8° to 22°.

There have been some significant outbreaks of arctic air during the month of January in recent years.  January 2018 got off to frigid start when high temperatures remained below freezing on six of the first seven days of the month.  That was part of a longer stretch of unusual cold from December 28, 2017 – January 7, 2018, when high temperatures at National Airport remained at or below 32° on 9 out of 11 days.  No record low temperatures were set in the Nation’s Capital during this period, but two record lows were set at Dulles Airport.

January 2014 was DC’s coldest January of the last decade.  There were five days that month when high temperatures remained at or below 26°.  DC’s low temperature of 6° on January 7, 2014 was the coldest temperature in the Nation’s Capital since it was 3° on January 21, 1994.  DC’s high temperature of 19° on January 22, 2014, was DC’s only “high” temperature in the teens of the last decade and coldest high temperature since January 16, 2009 (18°).

Roughly every two to three years Washingtonians experience a few January days when high temperatures remain below freezing.  There were three such days scattered across January 2019.  Having them on three or more consecutive days is unusual.  That’s what helped make January 1994 such a rare month in the Nation’s Capital.  During the seven-day period from January 15 – 21, 1994, high temperatures not only remained below freezing on five days, but high temperatures remained below 20° on four of those days.

Fortunately, temperatures won’t be anything like that during the current stretch of cold weather.  Temperatures will actually moderate as the week wears on.  NOAA expects January to finish much like it began, with temperatures warmer than average.