What makes this spring stand out?

 

Lake Needwood, Montgomery County, Maryland

DC’s cooler than average Memorial Day weekend will help this month finish roughly a full degree cooler than average. That will prevent this spring from ranking higher on the list of DC’s warmest spring’s. The three-month period of March, April and May comprises "meteorological" spring.

Largely due to the frequent clouds and rain this month, only 11 May days have been warmer than average in the nation’s capital. Nevertheless, Washingtonians experienced only the fourth May heat wave – three or more consecutive 90-degree days – of the century. Record heat was observed at all three DC-Area airports from May 18 – May 20.

April 2026 finished tied for DC’s fourth warmest on record. That was despite last month having finished with six consecutive cooler than average days. Record heat occurred on April 4 and April 15. Continuing a recent trend, six of DC's eight warmest April's have happened just since 2010. In addition, March 2026 finished as DC's eighth warmest on record and was more than five degrees warmer than average. 

Despite there being 19 days with rain this month, May will finish with below average rainfall with only 2.83” in the nation's capital. April was also a dry month with only 1.55” of rain. That's less than half of DC's April average of 3.21”. March 2026 also finished as a drier than average month for the fourth time in the last five years.

With a seasonal total of only 6.30” of rain, this spring will not only finish as DC’s driest since 2012, but also rank as the tenth driest on record in the nation’s capital. That's an impressive distinction since NOAA's weather records in the nation's capital date back to 1871.

DC's warmest spring’s (Source: NOAA)

1. 62.2° - 2012
2. 61.0° - 2025
3. 60.7° - 1977
4. 60.6° - 2024
5. 60.5° - 2010
6. 60.2° - 2026
7. 60.1° - 2019
8. 60.0° - 1991
9. 59.5° - 1945
10. 59.3° - 2015, 2004

DC’s driest spring’s (Source: NOAA)

1. 3.47” – 1986
2. 4.15” – 1915
3. 4.51” – 1969
4. 5.08” – 1926
5. 5.36” – 2006
6. 5.71” – 1925, 1879
7. 6.03” – 1911
8. 6.09” – 1885
9. 6.22” – 2012
10. 6.30” – 2026