Great Weather Diversity

A Cold Start in the DC Metro Area  (Source: WUSA9)

Although the weather isn’t typically as cold in the Nation’s Capital in April as it is in March, it can still get rather chilly.  On the other hand, while April doesn’t often see weather as hot as in May, it can also be quite hot.

2020:  This has been a unique weather week in the Nation’s Capital.  Although DC’s high temperature on April 13 was 81°, it wasn’t close to the record high of 90° for the date.  However, it was still significantly warmer than the average high temperature of 66° for April 13.  In fact, 81° doesn’t become DC’s average high temperature until early June.  Meanwhile, high temperatures yesterday remained in the 50s, which is more characteristic of early March.  Areas west of DC and Baltimore even had freeze warnings this morning.  While temperatures in DC haven’t fallen to 32° or below during the month of April since 2016, the western and northern suburbs typically see several near freezing temperatures in April.

2017: April 2017 was DC’s warmest on record with an average temperature of 63.8°, seven degrees above the monthly average.  Monthly average temperatures are comprised of daily high and low temperatures.  All but seven days that month were warmer than average.  April 29 was also the last time Washingtonians experienced 90° heat during the month of April, with a record-tying high temperature of 91°.  Three of DC’s 10 warmest April’s occurred between 2010 and 2019. 

2007:  DC had three consecutive days of low temperatures at or below 32° in April 2007.  From April 7 – April 9, high temperatures also remained in the 40s.  Meanwhile, low temperatures ranged from 29° - 31° on all three mornings.  Collectively, the month finished 3.2° cooler than average with an average temperature of 53.6°.  This was also the last time Washingtonians experienced a record low temperature during the month of April, as the low fell to 29° on April 8.

2002:  April 2002 finished as DC’s 11^th warmest on record and a rare heat wave occurred with 90° on three consecutive days from April 16 – 18.  There was a record-tying high of 95° on April 17 that also tied DC’s record high for the entire month of April.  April 2002 remains as DC’s only April to have three 90° days since 1993. 

A devastating severe weather outbreak in the Mid-Atlantic Region occurred on April 28, 2002.  The state of Maryland experienced its strongest tornado on record when an F4 devastated the town of La Plata in Charles County.  It was an even stronger tornado than the F4 that was observed in Frostburg, Maryland in June 1998.