One for the Record Books!

Beautiful November weather in Potomac, MD

Friday’s high temperature of 80 degrees not only broke the 67 year-old record for the date, but was also the first 80 degree day Washingtonians have had in November since 2003.  It was also significantly warmer than the daily average high of 62 degrees.  Other locations in the DC Metro Region also broke record highs on November 6, including Baltimore and at Dulles Airport, where it was also 80 degrees.  

Although the month of November averages over 3 days of at least 70 degrees in the Nation’s Capital, this week has been especially warm.  Yesterday was the fifth consecutive day of high temperatures of at least 70 degrees.  That’s the most since November 2003, when there were five such days to begin the month.  Friday became only the fifth time that 80 degree warmth occurred in Washington, D.C. after November 5 dating back to 1871.  According to the National Weather Service, weather records for the Nation’s Capital were measured downtown before being switched to National Airport in the 1940s.

Not only was Friday, November 6, the warmest November day in the Nation’s Capital in more than a decade, it was the warmest day since September 29.  Many other record highs have been set across the Eastern United States this past week in: New York City; Albany, NY; Elkins, West Virginia; Mobile, Alabama and Tampa, Florida among others.  The warmest temperature in Washington, D.C. all of last November was 74 degrees on the 24^th.

Although this month has gotten off to a warm start in the Mid-Atlantic Region, the rest of the U.S. hasn’t seen similar warmth.  Much of the central and southern Rockies have gotten appreciable snowfall.  That’s good news for ski resorts eager to open prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.  However, for those not eager for similar cold in the Mid-Atlantic Region should be pleased that NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is predicting warmer than average temperatures during the next six to ten days.  The latest weather forecasts for the DC Metro Region can be found on the WUSA9 website.

September Warmth in November

Stellar November weather in the DC Metro Region

Temperatures today are poised to challenge record highs at all three airports across the D.C. Metro Region.  This week has already featured three consecutive days of temperatures in the 70s.  That’s more characteristic of early October than early November.  It’s important to note that November’s warmest average high in Washington, D.C. is only 63 degrees.  

Although November has averaged approximately 3 days in the 70s in the Nation’s Capital during the last 25 years, having three consecutive days that warm has not happened since 2003.  In fact, 2003 was the last time it was at least 80 degrees in the Nation’s Capital during the month of November when a record high of 81 degrees was set at on November 5.  That’s the average high in Washington, D.C. on September 13.  Although there were 7 degrees of at least 70 degrees in November 2003, November 1994 saw even more with 10 such days.  By comparison, there were only 2 days of 70 degree warmth last November.

For much of this week there has been an area of high pressure of the southeast coast of the United States.  That enabled this week’s record heat across much of the Deep South.  For example, Tampa, Florida set a record high of 91 degrees yesterday.  However, today will be the warmest day of the week in the Mid-Atlantic Region as temperatures approach 80 degrees.  It hasn’t been 80 degrees in the Nation’s Capital since September 29.

A potent cold front will approach the Mid-Atlantic this evening, ensuring any record warmth will be short-lived.  Temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees cooler this weekend, with highs only in the mid-60s tomorrow and near 60 on Sunday.  According to the National Weather Service, that’s much closer to today’s seasonal average of 62 degrees in the Nation’s Capital.

While much of the eastern portion of the United States has enjoyed warmer than average weather this week, the Colorado Rockies have experienced their first significant snowfall of the fall season.  Snow has been observed as far south as Santa Fe, New Mexico.  So while the prospect of record warmth is a treat this time of year, it shouldn’t be expected.  

The record high temperatures to beat today are:

Washington, D.C. (measured at National Airport): 78 (1948)

Dulles Airport, Sterling, Virginia: 78 (1994)

Baltimore, Maryland (measured at BWI Airprot): 77 (2005)

What Does November Have in Store?

Largest November Snow on Record for DC  (Source: DCStorms.com)

October 2015 was a quiet weather month in Washington, D.C., finishing slightly cooler than average and with near average rainfall.  October saw a variety of temperatures, with highs in the 70s on 14 days, in the 60s on 11 days and in the 50s on 6 days.  No measureable rain occurred on Halloween for the 18^th time in the last 20 years.  

Weather headlines last month were focused on the tropics.  The strongest Atlantic hurricane to form in more than five years – Joaquin – formed early in the month.  The strongest hurricane on record to occur in the Western Hemisphere – Patricia – developed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean a few weeks later.  Although significant hurricanes occasionally develop in November, hurricane season typically comes to a quiet close on November 30.  

November is the third and final month of meteorological fall.  The average high in the Nation’s Capital on November 1 is 63 degrees, but that falls to 52 degrees by November 30.  The coldest November temperature on record in the Nation’s Capital is 11 degrees which occurred on November 30, 1929.

November averages 0.5” of snow in Washington, D.C.  In fact, every month from November through March averages at least 0.5” of snow in the Nation’s Capital.  The largest November snowstorm on record in Washington, D.C. occurred on Veteran’s Day in 1987, when 11.5” was measured at National Airport.  Although weather records in Washington, D.C. go back to 1871, weather measurements have been made at National Airport since 1941.  However, the ten coldest November’s on record all occurred prior to 1941.

Washingtonians have enjoyed an average of 3.4 days in November with high temperatures in the 70s dating back to the early 1990s.  While November 1994 had ten days with temperatures in the 70s in the Nation’s Capital, there weren’t any 70 degree readings in November 2010. The warmest November temperature on record in the Nation’s Capital was 86 degrees on November 1, 1974.  Starting tomorrow, temperatures in the DC Metro Region are poised to be at least 70 degrees for the rest of the work week.