Christmas in the Nation’s Capital

 

Where's the car ?!

There are two ways you can have a White Christmas: fresh snowfall on Christmas Day or the remains of a previous snowfall.  The National Weather Service defines a “White Christmas” as having “…at least 1 inch of snow being on the ground on December 25.”  Areas farther north and west of the immediate D.C. Metro Area have considerably higher odds of seeing a white Christmas.  

Washingtonians have seen very little December snowfall at all over the last decade.  Nine of the last 10 Decembers in the Nation’s Capital have had below average snowfall.  That led NOAA’s December’s snowfall average to fall from 2.3” for the 30-year period from 1981 – 2010, to 1.7” to reflect 1991 – 2020.

Historically, Washington, D.C. has had measurable snowfall on Christmas Day roughly every 15 years (or nine times since 1884).  The last time was on December 25, 2002 when 0.2” of snow occurred.  Meanwhile, the last time Washingtonians had snow on the ground on Christmas Day was in 2009.  That’s because the Nation’s Capital had its largest December snowfall on record just the week before when 16.4” was measured at National Airport on December 18-19.  Although more than half had melted by Christmas, 7” remained on the ground, creating the last official white Christmas in Washington, D.C.

The average high and low temperatures on December 25 in Washington, D.C. are 47°/33°.  The coldest Christmas Day occurred in 1983 with high/low temperatures of only 14°/3°.  The last time temperatures remained below freezing on Christmas was in 2000 when the high temperature was only 28°.  By comparison, D.C.’s warmest Christmas on record was in 1964 (72°).  More recently, D.C. residents had a high temperature of 69° on December 25, 2015 that tied with 1965 for third warmest Christmas.  Such temperatures are more common in mid-to-late April.

Rainfall is much more common on Christmas Day.  Washingtonians have had measurable precipitation on December 25 a total of 53 times, dating back to 1871.  The most recent rainy Christmas in the Nation’s Capital occurred in 2015.  Last Christmas was a changeable weather day with a high of 57° shortly after midnight and some rain showers.  However, temperatures fell throughout the day with some light snow and flurries Christmas morning.

Winter weather enthusiasts may wonder if a warmer than average December is a reliable indicator of what kind of weather will ensue in January.  The short answer is no.  For example, December 2015 finished as D.C.’s warmest on record but gave way to a colder and snowier than average January.  On the other hand, December 2002 was both colder and snowier than average as part of the epic 2002-2003 winter that finished tied for DC’s seventh snowiest on record.

Washington, D.C.’s Snowiest Christmas Day’s  (Source: NOAA) 

1.  5.4”  (1962)
2.  4.5”  (1909)
3.  4.3”  (1969)
4.  1.0”  (1902)
5.  0.6”  (1935)

 

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“White” Christmas’ in D.C. in Recent Decades  

1.  2009
2.  2002
3.  1993
4.  1989