April’s wild weather

 

An April day along the C&O Canal

April is a changeable month in the nation’s capital as warmer, spring-like weather occurs more often as it wears on. However, that doesn’t mean April isn’t susceptible to bouts of chilly, March-like weather. Below are some recent examples in the nation’s capital.

2023: April 2023 finished tied for DC’s third warmest on record. More than half the month was warmer than average. The coolest temperature of the month was 40°. That provided Washingtonians with another April without frost inside I-495. April 2023 would have finished a drier than average month in the nation’s capital had it not been for the 1.53” of rain that occurred on April 28.

2020: This April became only the third cooler and wetter than average April in the nation’s capital this century. April 2020 had it all from June-like warmth, to March-like cold and severe weather. However, it will ultimately be remembered for being a cool and wet month. Measurable rainfall occurred in the nation’s capital on 14 of the first 27 days and that helped April 2020 finish as DC’s seventh wettest.

2017: April 2017 was DC’s warmest on record with an average temperature of 63.8°, over five degrees above the monthly average (58.2°). Monthly average temperatures are comprised of daily high and low temperatures. All but seven days that month were warmer than average. April 29 was also the last time Washingtonians experienced 90-degree heat during April, with a record-tying high temperature of 91°. Five of DC’s 10 warmest April’s have occurred just since 2010.

2007: DC had three consecutive days of below freezing temperatures from April 7 – 9. High temperatures never rose above the 40s from April 5 – 9. Collectively, with an average monthly temperature of 53.6°, this April finished as DC’s coldest since 1983 (53.3°). This was also the last time Washingtonians experienced a record low temperature during the month of April, as the low fell to 29° on April 8.

2002: A devastating severe weather outbreak in the Mid-Atlantic Region occurred on April 28. The state of Maryland experienced its strongest tornado on record when an F4 devastated the town of La Plata in Charles County. April 2002 also featured a rare heat wave in the nation’s capital with three consecutive days in the 90s from April 16 – 18. The high of 95° on April 17 tied DC’s record high for the entire month of April.