D.C.’s Rare October Weather

 

October 2022 got off to an unusually cool and wet start in the Nation’s Capital.  However, October is well-positioned to finish as a drier than average month.  October being both cooler and drier than average in the Nation’s Capital is relatively rare with only one such month over the last decade. 

Nine of the first 11 days of October were cooler than average in D.C.  The high temperature of only 55° on October 4 set a record for coolest daily high temperature.   That was the first such record in the Nation’s Capital since May 9, 2020.   D.C.’s average high on October 4 is 74° and a high of 55° isn’t “average” until late-November.  The low temperature of 38° on October 19 was D.C.’s coldest October temperature in nearly four years since October 22, 2018 (also 38°).

There have been some warmer than average days in the Nation’s Capital this month, but they haven’t been as common as in recent October’s.  D.C.’s high of 81° on October 7 guaranteed this month will be the seventh consecutive October with 80° warmth.  By comparison, Washingtonians basked in eight days of 80° warmth during the unusually warm October 2021.   Despite a few mild days this week, an expected cool down later this week will guarantee this October will finish as D.C.’s first cooler than average October since 2015.

Rainfall has been spotty this month with a total of 1.75” in the Nation’s Capital through October 5.  However, since then D.C. had a combined rainfall total of only 0.87”, giving the Nation’s Capital a monthly total of 2.62”.  Given NOAA’s 8-14 day outlook for below average precipitation in the D.C. Metro Area, Washington, D.C. will fall well short of its October rainfall average of 3.66”.  That will make this D.C.’s first cooler and drier than average October since 2015.

NOAA’s early outlook for November predicts the Nation’s Capital will see warmer and drier than average weather during the first one to two weeks.  That would be the opposite of last November that began with six cooler than average days.  November is the third and final month of meteorological fall.  Average temperatures and the amount of daily sunlight decrease throughout the month.