2023's Weather Roller Coaster

 

A stellar winter's day in the nation's capital !

As 2023 comes to a close, it's a good time to reflect upon some of the significant Washington, D.C., metro area weather headlines of the year. The year began with another relatively snow-free winter, followed by a drier than average spring that led to drought conditions, and is ending with DC's wettest December in over a decade.

The 2022-2023 winter season finished with only 0.4" of snow. That's less than 3% of DC's annual snowfall average of 13.7", according to NOAA. To add to that, no measurable snowfall occurred for the two-month period of December (2022) and January (2023) for the first time since 1972-1973.

The first three months of 2023 were drier than average. By the time above average rainfall occurred in April, it wasn't enough to offset the rainfall deficit that had accumulated since January 1. Since four of the final five months of 2022 were also drier than average in the nation's capital, DC's rainfall deficit by April 2023 produced drought conditions and enveloped parts of the DMV. Drought conditions worsened because May and June were significantly drier than average.

July brought some relief when a whopping 6.46" of rain fell (149% DC's July average). August was also wetter than average in the nation's capital. However, that was followed by a drier than average three-month period of "meteorological fall" (September, October and November). That caused drought conditions to return and expand across the DMV. 

Fortunately, the weather pattern then shifted dramatically once again in late-November and December. This month, in true El Nino form, has been much rainier than average with three days of at least an inch of rain in the nation's capital. Going back to November 21, there has been a total of 8.75", officially at National Airport. This rainfall has gone a long way towards mitigating the drought conditions that had worsened over the course of the dry fall months.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center expects next month to feature near average temperatures and precipitation in the nation's capital. However, my colleagues and I on the WUSA9 weather team aren't expecting any snowfall in the DMV over the first week of 2024.

Wettest December's in Washington, D.C. (Source: NOAA)

1. 7.56" (1901)
2. 6.79" (2009)
3. 6.54" (1969)
4. 6.43" (2023)
5. 6.12" (1881)
6. 6.03" (1973)
7. 5.93" (1967)
8. 5.91" (1983)
9. 5.82" (2018)
10. 5.62" (1957)
11. 5.53" (2013)
12. 5.51" (1996)
13. 5.39" (1905)
14. 5.29" (1902)
15. 5.23" (1936)

Warmest December's in Washington, D.C. (Source: NOAA)

1. 51.2° (2015)
2. 47.6° (2021)
3. 45.6° (1984, 1889)
5. 45.5° (2023, 2001, 1982, 1971)
9. 45.4° (2012)
10. 45.0° (2011, 1923)
12. 44.5° (1990)
13. 44.4° (1998)
14. 44.2° (2006, 1994, 1956, 1931)
18. 43.7° (2014, 1979)
20. 43.5° (2018)

Weather Quiz

 

Suburban Washington, D.C.

When was the last time Washington, D.C. had above average December snowfall ?

A.  1989

B.  2002

C.  2009

D.  2018

How often does DC see a snowy Christmas ?

 

December 2023, Bethesda, Maryland

Although Washington, D.C. averages 1.7” of December snowfall, longtime Washingtonians know just how rare snow on Christmas Day is.  Areas farther north and west of the immediate D.C. Metro Area have considerably higher odds of seeing a White Christmas.  The National Weather Service officially defines a “White Christmas” as having “…at least 1 inch of snow being on the ground at 7 a.m. on December 25.”

D.C.’s average high and low temperatures on Christmas Day are 47°/33°.  Since 1884, there has been measurable snowfall on Christmas Day only nine times or roughly every 15 years.  The last time was on December 25, 2002, with 0.2”. 

However, the last time Washingtonians had old snow on the ground on Christmas Day was in 2009.  That’s because the nation’s capital had its largest December snowfall on record the week before.  A total of 16.4” was measured at National Airport on December 18-19, 2009.  Although more than half had melted by Christmas Day, 7” remained on the ground, creating D.C.’s last official White Christmas.  More recently, snow flurries occurred in the nation’s capital on December 25, 2020, but that didn’t meet NOAA’s official definition of a “White Christmas.”

Precipitation of any kind, including rainfall, is much more common on Christmas Day.  D.C. residents have had measurable precipitation on December 25 a total of 55 times, dating back to 1871.  The most recent Christmas in the nation’s capital with measurable rainfall was in 2021 with 0.07”.

The coldest Christmas Day in Washington, D.C. occurred in 1983 with high/low temperatures of 14°/3°.  The last time temperatures remained below freezing on Christmas was in 2000 when the high temperature was only 28°.  By comparison, D.C.’s warmest Christmas on record was in 1964 (72°).  More recently, D.C. residents had a high temperature of 68° on December 25, 2021, which tied with 1932 for fourth warmest Christmas.  Last Christmas was much colder with a high/low of only 34°/14° at National Airport.

Washington, D.C.’s Biggest Christmas Day Snowfalls (Source: NOAA)

1.  5.4” (1962)
2.  4.5” (1909)
3.  4.3” (1969)
4.  1.0” (1902)
5.  0.6” (1935)

Washington, D.C.’s Highest Christmas Day Temperatures (Source: NOAA)

1.  72° (1964)
2.  70° (1982)
3.  69° (2015, 1965)
5.  68° (2021, 1932)
7.  65° (1893, 1889)

Washington, D.C.’s Coldest Christmas Day Temperatures (Source: NOAA)

1.  3° (1983)
2.  5° (1872)
3.  11° (1989)
4.  12° (1980)
5.  13° (1906)