Surprising January Thaws

 

January 2018 (Photo Credit: Robin Beal)

The nation’s capital has experienced its coldest stretch of weather in more than seven years.  Highs will only reach the low to mid-30s today following three consecutive days with highs in the 20s for the longest such stretch since January 4 – 8, 2018.  There have been several other  stretches of unusually cold weather in recent decades, followed by dramatic January thaws.

2024: Highs remained at or below freezing four times during a six-day stretch from January 15 – 20, with an average daily high/low temperature during this period of 32.3°/22.2°.  Less than four days later, a dramatic January thaw got underway in the nation’s capital.  From January 24 – 27, high temperatures reached at least 61° and also included DC’s warmest January temperature on record of 80° on January 26. 

2018: The year got off to an exceptionally cold start with highs below freezing on six days between January 1 – 7.  Average daily high/lows for the nation’s capital were 25.6°/13.1°.  A hard pivot to milder ensued and between January 9 – 13, with high temperatures reaching the 60s on three occasions.

2013: The final week of January was a changeable one in the nation’s capital.  Highs remained at or below freezing on four consecutive days from January 22 – January 25 and produced an average daily high/low temperature of 28.5°/18.25°. Highs then reached at least 66° on three consecutive days from January 29 – 31.

1996: This January also got off to a cold start, similar to 2018, except with record-setting snowfall.  Temperatures remained at or below freezing on six days during a 7-day period from January 6 – 12.  Average daily high/low temperatures for this period were 28.1°/17.6°. Less than a week later, temperatures were a lot milder, reaching at least 50° on three consecutive days starting January 17.

1994: One of the coldest 7-day periods in recent memory occurred in the nation’s capital from January 15 – 21. Highs remained below freezing on six of these seven days and included three days with highs in the teens. With the exception of January 17, all the other days during this period featured lows at 8° or colder, including -4° on January 19.  However, starting on January 22, highs reached at least 41° on four consecutive days. That includes the relatively balmy high of 61° on January 24 that was also DC’s warmest temperature of the entire month.