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”