DC's unforgettable start to 2024

 

Trying to keep warm !

This has been a month of firsts in the nation's capital.  Washingtonians saw two snow events in less than a week that combined to produce DC's first snowier than average month in two years.  Next came record warmth and multiple rainy days that combined to produce one of DC's wettest January's on record.

DC residents haven't seen much snow in the eight years since the record-setting "Blizzard of 2016."  Not so much as an inch of snow had fallen since January 2022.  However, that all changed when 4.1" occurred on January 15-16.  Another 3.7" came from a storm three days later.  This month's snow total of 7.8" was not only DC's highest monthly total since January 2022, but also made January 2024 DC's first snowier than average month in two years.

Temperatures in the nation's capital remained at or below freezing on three consecutive days from January 15 - 17 and on four days between January 15 - January 20.  Not since January 2018 had Washingtonians seen such a stretch of cold weather.  Although no record lows were set, DC's high temperature of 29° on January 20 was DC's coldest January high temperature since January 21, 2022 (27°). 

A rapid warm-up followed with highs in the 60s on January 25 and a record-smashing high of 80° on January 26.  Not only did that set a new record high for the date, but it was also the first time in recorded history that nation's capital experienced 80° warmth in January.  It also set a record for earliest in the year a temperature of 80° occurred.  By comparison, the warmest it's been so far this month in Austin, Texas was 78° (January 18) and in New Orleans, Louisiana was 77° (January 12). 

There was measurable rainfall on 11 days since January 1, including three days with an inch or more.  That includes the 2.24" of rain at National Airport on January 9; DC's wettest January day in over 100 years.  All these rainy days combined to produce a monthly rainfall total of 5.88" - more than double DC's January rainfall average of 2.86".

 

DC's 10 Rainiest January's (Source: NOAA)

1. 7.83” (1937)
2. 7.11” (1978)
3. 7.09” (1882)
4. 6.64” (1979)
5. 6.34” (1915)
6. 6.14” (1891)
7. 5.87” (1936)
8. 5.84” (1892)
9. 5.59” (1884)
10. 5.43” (1998)