January 2021 Ends on a Cold and Snowy Note

 

As January comes to a close, the weather pattern has shifted to be more winter-like in the DC Metro Area following a milder start to the month.  My colleagues and I on the WUSA9 Weather Team are tracking a winter storm that will arrive early tomorrow morning and continue through Monday.  Winter storm warnings are in effect as Washingtonians are on track to see several inches of snow. 

The Nation’s Capital has been in the midst of an ongoing dearth of snow.  The 0.3” of snow that fell this past Tuesday, January 25, was the first accumulating snowfall at National Airport – DC’s official weather reporting station – in more than a year.  Prior to this week, the last time accumulating snowfall occurred in the Nation’s Capital was on January 18, 2020 (0.2”).  It’s also worth pointing out that the 0.3” snow total from earlier this week is exactly half of what DC’s snowfall total was for the entire 2019-2020 winter season.  In fact, last winter’s snow total of 0.6” made it DC’s third least snowy winter on record behind 1972-1973 and 1997-1998, which had only 0.1”.

Even without the tomorrow’s snow, this month has had several notable trends.  The high temperature of 58° on January 2 was DC’s warmest temperature of the month.  Prior to this past week, this month was on its way to, perhaps, finishing among DC’s Top 10 warmest January’s.  As things stand, DC’s average monthly temperature for January 2021 (combining daily high/low temperatures) is 3.1° warmer than average.  That’s despite six of the last eight days, including today, that were colder than average.  DC’s high temperature of 33° yesterday made it the coldest day in the Nation’s Capital since February 1, 2019, when the high was only 24°. 

It’s also been a dry month in the DC Metro Area.  The Nation’s Capital will have only 1.54” of rain through January 30.  More than half of that occurred on New Year’s Day (0.81”).  Of course, tomorrow’s snowfall will add to that total, so final numbers for January 2021 won’t be available until Monday.  Washingtonians average 2.81” of rain and 5.6” of snow during the month of January, based on the 30-year period of 1981-2010.  Four of the last five January’s have been drier than average, with the exception being in 2019.  January 2019 was also the last time the Nation’s Capital had a snowier than average month. 

Below are some key statistics for Washington, D.C. based on weather records kept by the National Weather Service.

Reagan National Airport (DCA)

 

Last 1” snowfall: 2.6” (February 20, 2019)

Last 5” snowfall: 8.3” (January 13, 2019)

Last 10” snowfall: 10.3” (January 12 – 14, 2019)

 

Daily Snowfall / Rainfall Records

January 31

DCA:  5.7” (1949) / 1.18” (1878)
Dulles Airport (IAD):  4.7” (1985) / 0.68” (1985)
BWI Airport:  3.7” (1985) / 1.54” (1914)

 

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February 1

DCA: 8.0” (1934) / 2.05” (2008)
IAD: 1.5” (1966) / 1.44” (2008)
BWI:  9.0” (1934) / 1.80” (2008)