April 2021 Wrap

 

April 2021 will finish as a warmer and drier than average month in the Nation’s Capital, but not a significantly warmer or drier than average April.  The trend is noteworthy because two of the last three April’s have been cooler than average in Washington, D.C.

There has been a wide range in temperatures across the DC Metro Area this month.  Lows have fallen to the 30s on five days, including DC’s low of 31° on April 2.  Having temperatures at or below freezing is relatively rare in the Nation’s Capital during April.  Prior to April 2, the last such occurrence was on April 10, 2016.  Following the colder than average first three days of April, Washingtonians enjoyed 11 consecutive warmer than average days.  That helped April’s unusually cold start fade from memory.

DC Area residents enjoyed three consecutive days with highs in the 80s from April 27 – April 29.  DC’s high temperature of 88° on April 28 was the warmest April temperature in the Nation’s Capital since April 30, 2017 (also 88°).  The last time it was warmer than 88° was on April 29, 2017 (91°).  That was also DC’s last 90° temperature during the month of April.  Dulles Airport was also 88° on April 28 which tied its record high for the date. 

While not record-setting for the Nation’s Capital itself, Wednesday’s high of 88° was exceedingly unusual since it isn’t DC’s average high temperature for another two months until June 29.  Today will be a much cooler day with highs in the low 70s.

There have been 10 days with measurable rainfall since April 1, for a monthly total of 2.20”.  That’s below DC’s monthly average of 3.06” and illustrates that while rainfall was frequent, none was particularly heavy.  That’s unlike last April that had two days with more than an inch of rain and finished as DC’s seventh wettest on record with 6.30”. 

Being the second of three months that make up “meteorological” spring, April doesn’t usually stand out as much as March or May.  March has featured some memorable winter weather events in the Nation’s Capital, while May has featured some significant heat waves and severe weather events.  While April’s weather isn’t as extreme as March or May weather can be, there have been some notable extremes such as DC’s latest accumulating snowfall on record of 0.5” on April 28, 1898.  Also, longtime Washingtonians may recall the heat wave that occurred from April 16 – 18, 2002.

Weather Quiz

 

The April 28 high of 88° in the Nation’s Capital was DC’s warmest temperature of 2021.  It was also DC’s warmest April temperature since when?

A.  2009

B.  2013

 

C.  2017

D.  2020

Earth Day 2021 vs. 2020

 

Commemorating Earth Day: 1970 - 2021

There’s been a sea change between Earth Day 2020 and the events that commemorated Earth Day this week.  The new leadership in the White House is emphasizing sustainability and the expansion of renewable energy in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and get control of the ravages of climate change.  The economy is also rebounding as the proliferation of COVID-19 vaccines continues across the United States and the American Rescue Plan takes hold. 

One of President Biden’s first actions since taking office in January was to rejoin the 2015 Paris Climate Accords.  This agreement by nearly 200 countries called for a worldwide reduction in the emissions of atmospheric pollutants such as carbon and sulfur dioxides.  The primary sources of these man-made emissions are the production of energy and in transportation. 

Some advocates don’t think the Paris Accords go far enough in reducing carbon emissions, while others have concerns about the cost of using cleaner technology.  President Biden and his science team sought to address these concerns at the virtual two-day climate summit he led to celebrate Earth Day.

On April 22, President Biden “…announced the United States will target reducing emissions by 50-52 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.”  That can be accomplished through a partnership between the public and private sector to invest in the expansion of clean energy sources and more energy-efficient technology. 

President Biden’s $2.9 trillion infrastructure plan proposes new investments in clean energy, electric vehicles, and weatherization.  The White House also points out that these investments will yield many new sustainable energy industry jobs.

The pandemic provided an extreme example of what happens when there is a dramatic reduction in fossil fuel use.  Last spring when the COVID-19 pandemic first led to shutdowns around the world and the grounding of most air travel, there was a significant improvement in both air and water quality.  The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated a nearly 6% reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions took place in 2020 as air travel largely stopped, factories and businesses closed, and most drivers remained home and off the roads. 

However, the IEA recently reported that emissions could jump by nearly 5% in 2021 as businesses open again and both air and automobile traffic resumes.  No one is advocating for shutdowns as a means to improve air and water quality.  Rather, it’s through energy-efficient power generation and transportation that similar positive environmental impacts could be seen.  Because renewable energy sources are cleaner than fossil fuels, a group of 13 utility companies recently urged President Biden to implement policies designed to reduce carbon emissions. 

President Biden’s infrastructure plan is crucial to efforts to make energy-efficient upgrades to buildings, prioritize the electric automobile industry, and make renewable energy more widespread.

DC’s Severe Weather Anniversaries This Week

 

April 27, 2011 Severe Reports  (Source: NOAA)

This week is the anniversary of two significant severe weather outbreaks in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  “Severe weather” is defined as wind gusts of 58 mph or greater, hail 1” in diameter or greater, or a tornado.  Severe thunderstorms often have more than one of these things.

2011: There was a total of 2,708 severe weather reports including 492 tornadoes, 1322 severe wind gusts, and 876 reports of large hail across the central and eastern United States from April 25 - 28.  The busiest day was April 27, when more than half (292) of the tornadoes occurred.  According to NOAA, four of these tornadoes reached EF-5 status with sustained winds of greater than 200 mph.  Sadly, a total of 231 weather-related fatalities were reported on April 27. 

Also, from April 27-28, 2011, there were a total of 19 tornadoes in the DC Metro Region.  The strongest of these was an EF-2 in Rockingham and Shenandoah counties in Virginia.  Part of what made this outbreak so deadly was that a high percentage of the tornadoes occurred during the overnight hours when people weren’t awake to get the latest warnings.

2002: Longtime residents of the Mid-Atlantic Region may recall that Maryland’s strongest tornado on record occurred on April 28.  That’s when the town of La Plata in Charles County was decimated by an F4 tornado with wind speeds of 207-260 mph.  This tornado was on the ground for nearly 70 miles, including 24 miles in Charles County.  It reached its peak intensity while passing through the town of La Plata.  The town has been rebuilt in the years since then and is now vibrant and booming.  

The La Plata tornado was one of 18 tornadoes that developed on April 28 as part of a severe weather outbreak in the U.S.  Because the original Fujita Tornado Scale was updated and became the “Enhanced Fujita” (or “EF) Scale in 2007, the La Plata F4 would now be ranked an EF-5 – as strong as tornadoes get.

While not as common as in other parts of the country, these outbreaks illustrate that severe weather can occur in the Mid-Atlantic Region and be damaging and deadly.  Knowing what weather watches and warnings mean and what to do in the event a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued for your area is vital.