Winter’s Last Stand?

 

March 2018 Snowfall, Bethesda, Maryland

Although spring officially gets underway this month, winter can sometimes be slow to give way.  March has, in fact, been the snowiest month of the year in the Nation’s Capital five times since 2009.  Consequently, March was the only month whose average snowfall went up when NOAA updated its weather averages to reflect the 30-year period of 1991-2020.  That replaced the 1981-2010 era and the change was the direct result of how snowy March has been in Washington, D.C. over the last 10 – 15 years.  Some of these March snow events are worthy of discussion.

2018: A total of 4.1” of snow fell in Washington, D.C. on March 21, just two days after a high of 56°.  That was DC’s largest snowfall total since the epic Blizzard of 2016.  With a high of only 36°, it was over 20° colder than average.  Even more snow fell west and north of downtown with 5.3” at Dulles Airport and 8.0” in Mt. Airy, Maryland.  In another rare occurrence, March was also colder than February in 2018.

2015: This month became DC’s third consecutive colder than average March.  It got off to a snowy and cold start with daily snowfall records at both National Airport (4.8”) and Dulles Airport (9.5”) on March 5.  That was followed by record cold at Dulles Airport on March 6 with a high/low temperature of 27°/6°.  National Airport also remained below freezing on March 6 (30°/15°) with the fresh snow cover.

2014: This March was the snowiest in Washington, D.C. since 1960 with a monthly total of 12.7”.  Accumulating snowfall occurred on four days over the course of the month.  This trend began with 3.8” in the Nation’s Capital on March 3 and a record 4.9” at Dulles Airport.  That was followed by frigid conditions on March 4, with a low of 14° at National Airport and a record low of -1° at Dulles.  Not only was a new record set for the date at Dulles, but its overall record low for the entire month of March was tied.

2009: Lows were below freezing in the Nation’s Capital on the first five days of the month, including three days in the teens.  March 2 was a frigid day with a high/low of 31°/19° and a daily snowfall record of 4.5”.  March 3 was even colder with a high/low of only 29°/14°.