February 2020: DC Weather Wrap

February 2020 has been mild in the DC Metro Area

February 2020 has been another warmer and wetter than average month in the Nation’s Capital.  The significance of February finishing warmer than average is that it also solidifies the position of the 2019-2020 winter season as being one of DC’s warmest winter’s.

DC’s warmest day this month occurred on February 4 with high/low temperatures of 65°/49°.  Through February 29, only seven days have been colder than average.  DC’s coldest February day was on February 15 with high/low temperatures of 36°/22°.  Although high temperatures today will hover near 40°, there have already been more February days with highs in the 60s (three) than days with highs in the 30s (two).

This month was DC’s fifth consecutive warmer than average February, the longest such streak since 1997 – 2002.  By comparison, some may recall that DC had very cold February’s from 2013 – 2015.  However, since then DC residents have experienced the warmest (2017) and third warmest (2018) February’s.

While February 2020 has been a wetter than average month with 3.21” of rain, no measurable snowfall has occurred.  This is DC’s third February since 2000 to finish with only a trace of snow.  DC’s only February on record with any snow was in 1977.  Although 3.21” doesn’t rank among DC’s wettest February’s, it has felt dreary since measurable rainfall has occurred on 14 days this month.  That includes 10 of the first 13 days of February.

The 2019-2020 winter season will finish among DC’s warmest winters on record.  For a second consecutive season, December, January and February were each warmer than average in the Nation’s Capital.  That hasn’t happened in back to back winters in Washington, D.C. since the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 winters.  

DC’s Warmest February’s (Source: National Weather Service)

1.  47.7° (2017)
2.  46.9° (1976)
3.  45.3° (2018)
4.  45.2° (1990)
5.  44.7° (1997)
6.  44.4° (2012)
7.  43.8° (1984, 1949)
9.  43.7° (1981)
10.  43.5° (1954)