November 2021 Starts Off Cool and Wet

 

October 2021 finished as the second warmest October on record in the Nation’s Capital and tied for warmest ever at Dulles Airport.  It was also an unusually dry month with a combined rainfall total of only 0.42” through October 24.  However, the final week of October had two significant rainfall events that helped last month finish with near average rainfall in Washington, D.C.

Washingtonians had a high temperature of only 53° yesterday for D.C.’s first high temperature in the 50s since May 30.  Yesterday’s high of 53° was more characteristic of Thanksgiving Day than November 2.  D.C. residents will see falling temperatures throughout the month with average daily/high low temperatures ranging from 63°/45° on November 1 to 52°/37° on November 30.  D.C.’s warmest November temperature on record of 86° occurred on November 1, 1974.  By comparison, D.C.’s coldest November temperature of 11° was on November 30, 1929. 

D.C. residents have seen a considerable amount of dry November weather over the last 20 years, with 13 that were drier than average.  That led D.C.’s average November rainfall to drop from 3.17” during NOAA’s 30-year average from 1981-2010 to 2.91” during the new 30-year period of 1991-2020.  That’s not to say Washingtonians haven’t seen any appreciable November rainfall in recent years, as November 2018 happened to be D.C.’s wettest on record.

Longtime Washingtonians may recall the record-setting Veteran’s Day 1987 snowfall when 11.5” accumulated.  That remains D.C.’s largest November snowfall on record.  However, there has only been one instance of accumulating snowfall during the month of November since 2001.  A daily snowfall record of 1.4” at National Airport occurred on November 15, 2018 (3.0” at Dulles Airport).  Since so little November snowfall has occurred in recent years, NOAA’s average November snowfall total for Washington, D.C. decreased from 0.5” to 0.1” earlier this year when the climate averages were updated.

Temperatures in the Nation’s Capital during November have been warmer than average 13 times since 2001.  That led D.C.’s average November temperature (combining daily highs/lows) to rise 0.3° when NOAA updated its climate records to include the 2010s.  Although this November has gotten off to a chilly start, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects this month to finish with above average temperatures.  Near to slightly above average precipitation is also expected this month.