Feeling Like Summer?

 

 

The Nation’s Capital had an exceptionally cool and wet first half of May.  As of May 16, Washington, D.C. had 4.15” of rain.  It’s rained on 10 days so far this month and that’s added to a gloomy feeling.  D.C.’s monthly average temperature over the first half of the month is 2.0° below average. 

There have been some milder days recently.  However, that followed some March-like weather when highs remained in the 50s on May 7-8.  The Nation’s Capital has averaged only one May day with highs in the 50s over the last 30 years, so having two consecutively is rare.

The chilly weather early in the month coincided with very rainy weather.  The wettest days this month were May 6-7 that produced a two-day total of 2.29” at Reagan National Airport.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms the last two days added to the monthly total of 4.15” so far.  That’s 2.14” above average through May 16. 

Last night’s cold front led to today’s mostly sunny and stellar weather with lower relative humidity levels.  D.C. Area residents will also get their first taste of summer later this week as highs should reach the low 90s on Friday and Saturday.  It hasn’t been 90° in Washington, D.C. since September 15, 2021.  D.C.’s warmest temperature so far in 2022 occurred on April 13 (86°).

Washington, D.C. has averaged between one and two days of 90°/+ during the month of May since the early 1990s. There were seven such days in May 2015 (D.C.’s warmest May on record).  Conversely, May 2020 was D.C.’s coolest May since 2005 and didn’t have any 90° heat.  It would take several days of 90° heat to offset how cool the first half of this month was if May 2022 were to finish as a warmer than average month.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects near average temperatures for the D.C. Metro Area once this brief period of summer-like heat at the end of the week is over.  That would give the Nation’s Capital a near average amount of 90° May heat, but would do little to make up for the cool start to the month.  However, having one or two days of 90° heat would give Washingtonians a much-needed early taste of summer.