DC's amazing winter of 2009-2010

 

Major snow events in the nation's capital

"Snowmageddon" ranks high among winter weather lore in the nation's capital for being the largest winter storm of DC's snowiest winter. A total of 56.1" of snow fell in Washington, D.C. during the 2009-2010 winter that featured two of DC's top 10 largest snow events. 

Fourteen years have now passed since the epic two-day winter storm dubbed “Snowmageddon” in the nation’s capital. Widespread 20”-30” snowfall totals were recorded in the DC Metro Area during the February 5-6, 2010 event.  

Although the “Blizzard of 2016” later tied with "Snowmageddon" as DC's fourth largest snowstorm, "Snowmageddon" remains the largest snow event on record at Dulles Airport with 32.4”.  It was also the fifth largest snow event in Baltimore (25"). Ironically, the "Blizzard of 2016" became Baltimore's largest winter storm (29.2").

Making the cleanup from “Snowmageddon” even more difficult was that another major winter storm occurred days later.  There were double-digit snowfall totals during a February 9-10 storm. The 10.8” of snow at National Airport during this storm gave Washingtonians one of DC’s snowiest months with 32.1”. February 2010 remains one of only four months that DC had at least 30” of snow and was the first since February 1979 (30.6”). 

It was the nameless February 9-10 winter storm that pushed the 2009-2010 winter season into first place as DC's snowiest winter. That surpassed the previous record of 54.4" from the 1898-1899 winter season. For some historical perspective, the 2009-2010 winter season remains the only winter to feature two of DC’s Top 10 snowfalls. Earlier, the December 2009 winter storm was DC’s largest December snow event (16.4”).

The extraordinary 2009-2010 winter season featured three consecutive snowier than average months in the nation's capital, December through February. That's only occurred once since then: during the 2013-2014 winter. That was also a snowier than average winter in the nation's capital, but was not an El Nino winter the way many of DC's snowiest winters have been (2009-2010, 2002-2003, 1957-1958). While the presence of El Nino can contribute to a snowier than average winter, it doesn't guarantee it.

“Snowmageddon” Snowfall totals (Source: NOAA)

DCA: 17.8”
IAD: 32.4”
BWI: 25.0”

 

Daily snowfall records occurred at DC’s three area airports.

February 5

National (DCA): 8.7”
Dulles (IAD): 14.9”
BWI: 9.0”

February 6

DCA: 9.1”
IAD: 17.5”
BWI: 16.0”

 

February 9

IAD: 2.2"

 

February 10

IAD: 7.1"
BWI: 15.5"