March Temperature Extremes

 

 

DC’s March temperature is 2.7° warmer than average through March 19.  Average monthly temperature is merely the average of the daily high and low temperatures.  The key reason March’s temperature is so much warmer than average is because of last week’s stretch of four consecutive days that high temperatures were in the 70s.  By comparison, DC didn’t have more than two consecutive 70° March days last year.

Another key difference between last March and this March is the number of times temperatures have fallen below freezing.  DC’s last freeze of the 2019-2020 winter season occurred on March 1, 2020 when the temperature fell to 26° at National Airport.  By comparison, temperatures this month have fallen to 32° or colder on eight occasions, including this morning’s low of 32° at National Airport. 

March 2021 has had several stretches of unique weather.  Five of the first eight days of the month were colder than average, followed by six consecutive warmer than average days – including the record high of 79° on March 11.  Four of the last five days have returned to colder than average. 

It’s easy to understand why DC’s March temperature is considerably warmer than average, despite the near even split of warmer and cooler than average days.  The warmer than average days in the 70s were much warmer than average; more so than the chilly days were cooler than average.  March weather can often be quite streaky as Washingtonians have seen so far this month. 

Precipitation can also be quite variable as the Nation’s Capital recently experienced its driest stretch of weather in roughly 18 months.  The 16 consecutive days without measurable precipitation, from March 2 through March 17, was DC’s longest since there was a 17-day stretch in September 2019.  If no more rain were to occur this month, the 0.66” of rain since March 1 would make this DC’s driest March since 2006 (0.05”).

While snow can occur in late March – and has done so several times over the last decade – none is on the horizon in the Nation’s Capital.  In fact, the DC Metro Area will see a moderating temperature trend during the coming week.  That coincides perfectly with the first day of the National Cherry Blossom Festival today.