DC’s cold conclusion to November

 

A November day in Potomac, Maryland

The colder than average final days of November will help this month finish with near average monthly temperatures. That’s in contrast to last November that finished as DC’s warmest on record. Not only has this been a colder than average month, but also a drier than average month.

Daily temperatures have vacillated between above and below average levels in the nation’s capital regularly this November. This month will finish with three days of highs in the 70s. That’s compared to the three days of highs in the 80s last November. This month also featured some winter-like days. DC’s high/low temperatures of 48°/37° on Thanksgiving Day made for DC’s coldest Thanksgiving since 2018. 

Although this month will finish with a near average temperature (combining daily high and low temperatures), it may feel especially cool considering how warm last November was. While November 2024 was DC’s warmest on record having finished more than five degrees warmer than average, this November will finish within 0.5° of average.

Nine of DC’s 15 warmest November’s have occurred just since 2000. NOAA’s current weather averages (for temperatures and precipitation) are updated every decade and the current averages reflect the 30-year period of 1991-2020. That means many of DC’s warmest November’s were factored into the current averages.

This November is DC’s eighth drier than average month of 2025. That has exacerbated the drought conditions across the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia). With only 0.84” of rain as of November 29, it is well below the November average of 2.91”.

DC’s driest November’s (Source: National Weather Service)

1. 0.29” (1981)
2. 0.37” (1965)
3. 0.53” (1917)
4. 0.55” (2001, 1922)
6. 0.60” (2012, 1908)
8. 0.76” (2016, 1936)
10. 0.79” (1930, 1890)
12. 0.80” (1903)
13. 0.81” (1941)
14. 0.85” (1991, 1976)
16. 0.89” (1909)
17. 0.91” (1998)
18. 0.93” (1915)
19. 0.94” (1949)
20. 0.95” (1933)

Average – 2.91”

Weather Quiz

 

A stellar late-November day in Washington, D.C.

True or False.

Washington, D.C. has never had both a snowy Thanksgiving and a snowy Christmas in the same year. “Snowy” can be defined as either old snow on the ground from a previous winter storm, or accumulating snowfall on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days themselves.

Meteorological falls nears its end

 

A late-November day in the nation's capital

Meteorologists have a different benchmark for measuring seasons than the standard astronomical calendar most people are familiar with. For the sake of climate records, meteorologists break up the four seasons into equal, three-month segments. For example, “meteorological fall” began on September 1 and will end on November 30. Since the fall comes to its unofficial conclusion in a few days, we can reflect upon the weather headlines for the nation’s capital over the last three months.

November 2025 featured more below average rainfall. Despite rain occurring on 10 of the first 23 days of the month, the nation’s capital has only seen 0.65” (well below the monthly average of 2.91”). Unlike last November that finished as the warmest on record in Washington, D.C., this month has featured more typical November temperatures. This November could actually finish with below average temperatures and that would be DC’s fourth consecutive cooler than average month.

Last month finished as DC’s fifth consecutive drier than average October. It was on track to finish as one of DC’s driest October’s on record before more than an inch of rain occurred on October 29 - 30. However, last month still finished with more than 2” less rain than DC’s October average. Despite a warm start to October with three days in the 80s early in the month, it finished as a cooler than average month. October 2025 was DC’s first cooler and drier than average October since 2022. 

September finished as a drier than average month in the nation’s capital for a fourth consecutive year. It also finished nearly a degree warmer than average. That made September 2025 the ninth warmer than average September in the nation’s capital over the last decade. However, Washingtonians didn’t experience any record heat unlike some recent Septembers. For example, September 2023 got off to a hot start in the nation’s capital with three consecutive record highs (September 4 - 6). 

Since November is well-positioned to finish as a drier than average month, this year could become DC’s second consecutive year with a drier than average September, October and November. While not as dry as the equivalent period last year, this year’s meteorological fall should still be drier than average in the nation’s capital. These drier than average conditions have allowed for the expansion of drought conditions across the DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia).

The latest Drought Monitor Index shows a large area of moderate to severe drought conditions west of I-95. Abnormally dry conditions also extend eastward all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.