November wrap in the nation’s capital

 

A beautiful late-November day in the nation's capital

November 2023 is well-positioned to finish with near average temperatures in the nation’s capital.  That’s in contrast to last November which finished 2.6° warmer than average and November 2021 which was 2° below average.  Hidden in the near normal average monthly temperature is how streaky this month’s weather has been.

Not only were six of the first nine days of November 2023 warmer than average, but four days were in the 70s downtown.  That’s more typical of September than early November.  D.C. residents enjoyed a total of six days this month with high temperatures in the 70s.  That’s well above D.C.’s average of between three and four such November days.  This month also featured two balmy days with high temperatures of at least 75°.  The icing on the cake was the November 9 record high of 81° at Dulles Airport.

However, the weather changed dramatically with cooler than average temperatures in Washington, D.C. from November 10 – 13.  Next, a warmup followed with four consecutive days with highs 60° or warmer through November 19.  This month is going to finish on a colder than average note with below average temperatures on six consecutive days, including today. 

With the exception of one day, November 2023 has been a very dry month.  A total of 2.51” of rain fell in the nation’s capital this month.  However, 2.14” of that total occurred on November 21.  It was DC’s rainiest day in more than a year, since July 9, 2022 (4.05”).  Without that beneficial rainfall, the nation’s capital would be significantly below our November rainfall average of 2.91”, according to NOAA.

Regardless of the final overall weather statistics for November 2023, it has already been a memorable month with both record warmth combined with January-like cold and the wettest day of the year.  NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects the first week of December to feature near normal temperatures with above normal rainfall in the nation’s capital.

Weather Quiz

 

True or False.

Washington, D.C. has never had both a white Thanksgiving and a white Christmas in the same year.

 

DC's winter weather outlook

 

What DC's likelihood for a snowy winter ?  (Photo: January 2016, Bethesda, MD)

My colleagues and I on the WUSA9 Weather Team recently issued our winter weather outlook for the nation’s capital and surrounding suburbs.  We looked at a variety of factors and took into account global weather patterns.  Check out this story I co-authored for the WUSA9 website for details.