Notable cold spells in the nation’s capital

 

January can be frigid

2025: Although temperatures during the final days of January will be only a few degrees above average, it will feel comparatively warmer given how cold most of the month has been. DC’s coldest stretch of weather occurred from January 20 – 23. High temperatures remained below freezing on four consecutive days for the longest such stretch since January 4 – 7, 2018. DC’s average high/low during these four days were 27.3°/15.8°. 

DC’s low temperature of 15° on January 22 and 23 was the coldest it has been in the nation’s capital since December 24, 2022 (9°).  Although no record cold occurred, this January has felt particularly cold considering four of the last five have been warmer than average.

2017-2018: A frigid air mass dominated local weather headlines during a 12-day stretch from December 27, 2017 - January 7, 2018. Temperatures in the nation’s capital included nine days when highs remained at or below freezing during this period. DC’s average daily high/low during this stretch was 27.1°/15.3°. The coldest day was January 7 with a high/low of only 23°/8°.

It was even colder at Dulles Airport in Sterling, Virginia, where highs remained at or below freezing during the entire 12-day period. Dulles Airport also set a combined total of six record low / record low high temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. 

2015: This February finished as DC’s coldest since 1979 and was the last time the nation’s capital experienced a record low temperature. The low of 5° at National Airport on February 20 was DC’s coldest temperature since February 5, 1996 (also 5°).

The coldest stretch in 2015 occurred from February 13 – 21. High temperatures remained below freezing on six of these nine days and daily low temperatures were all 18° or colder. Average daily high/low temperatures in the nation’s capital during this period were 28.9°/12.7°.

2005: Although January finished only 1.5° colder than average, that obscures how cold the second half of the month was. The first two weeks of this January were warmer than average with the first colder than average day not occurring until January 15.

During a 13-day stretch from January 17 – 29, highs remained below freezing on nine days.  DC’s average high/low temperature during this frigid stretch was 30.5°/18.3°.

2004: January finished 7° colder than average in the nation’s capital.  The coldest weather was a 13-day stretch from January 19 – 31. High temperatures remained below freezing on 11 of these days, including six consecutively from January 23 – 28. DC’s average daily high/low during this frigid 13-day period was 30.7°/19.2°.