What to expect on New Year's Eve

 

December has featured a lot of weather variability in the nation’s capital, including today’s unusual warmth with highs in the mid-60s. And with warmer than average temperatures expected during the final days of the year, this month will continue a recent trend of a warmer than average New Year’s Eve.

This month has been cooler than average through December 28. However, that will change with the milder than average temperatures to close the month. It has also been a drier than average month to this point, but with rain tonight and more expected on New Year’s Eve, December rainfall will finish closer to average than where it is now (1.03” below average).

Today will be the fourth day with highs in the 60s this month. That’s close to DC’s December average of between three and four such days over the last 30 years. There have also been two days with highs in the 30s and that’s half of what the nation’s capital has averaged, according to NOAA. Only 0.1” of snow has occurred this month, making it the seventh consecutive December with below average snowfall.

The nation’s capital hasn’t had a colder than average New Year’s Eve since 2017 when the high temperature was only 23°. That was DC’s coldest high temperature on December 31 since 1962 (18°). By comparison, this December 31 will more closely resemble the last six that have been warmer than average with an average high/low of 54.5°/42.3°.

Three of the last six New Years Eve’s have had measurable rainfall. My colleagues and I on the WUSA9 weather team expect this December 31 to be rainy as well. Although any rain on New Year’s Eve may not be ideal, most would say that rain and above average temperatures are preferred to snow and ice combined with below average temperatures.