Weather Quiz

The 2019-2020 winter season – comprised of December, January and February – is well on its way to having three consecutive warmer than average months in Washington, D.C.  Will that be the first time all three months have been warmer than average in the Nation’s Capital ?

A.  Yes

B.  No

Remembering an Epic DC Snow Storm

It’s hard to believe, but 10 years have passed since one of DC’s most significant snow events.  Shortly after the December 2009 storm (that still ranks as DC’s eighth largest), Washingtonians experienced an even larger storm on February 5-6, 2010.  That’s when 17.8” accumulated at National Airport that made it DC’s fourth largest winter storm on record, and largest since the February 1979 storm.  Snow totals of 2’ to 3’ were common north and west of town.

Unfortunately, widespread power outages ensued then and virtually the entire DC Metro Area was shut down for a week or more.  “Snowmageddon” was later tied by the January 2016 blizzard for fourth largest in the Nation’s Capital.  However, the epic winter storm a decade ago was the signature storm in what became DC’s snowiest winter on record.

Six of DC’s 10 largest snow events have occurred in February.  That includes February 2010, which finished nearly five degrees colder than average.  It had a snow total of 32.1”, nearly six times the monthly average of 5.7”.  That also made it DC’s third snowiest February on record.  By comparison, DC has had a combined total of only 29.2” of February snowfall since 2010.  

Winter weather enthusiasts have good reason to be disappointed this winter, since only 0.6” of snow has occurred so far.  That’s DC’s lowest seasonal snow total through February 5 since the 1997-1998 winter.  Only 0.1” of snow fell during that entire winter, which tied it with the 1972-1973 season for least snowy winter season in the Nation’s Capital.  Meanwhile, December 2019 and January 2020 were each warmer than average and NOAA expects this month to be also.

My colleagues and I on the WUSA9 Weather Team are expecting a significant amount of rain during the next two days.  More than an inch is possible tomorrow night and Friday, which would be DC’s largest daily rainfall total during February since 2018.  While winter has been a disappointment so far for some, appreciable snowfall can occur in March.  In fact, March was DC’s snowiest month of the year four times over the last decade.

DC’s Largest Snowstorms  (Source: National Weather Service)

1.  28.0” (January 27 – 29, 1922)
2.  20.0” (February 12 – 14, 1899)
3.  18.7” (February 18 – 19, 1979)
4.  17.8” (January 22 – 23, 2016)
     17.8” (February 5 – 6, 2010)
6.  17.3” (January 7 – 9, 1996)
7.  16.6” (February 10 – 11, 1983)
8.  16.4” (December 18 – 19, 2009)
     16.4” (February 16 – 18, 2003)
10. 14.4” (February 7, 1936)
      14.4” (February 15 – 16, 1958)

January’s Warmth Lingers into February

January 2020 finished as DC’s 12^th warmest on record and warmest since 2006.  It was also the first January in the Nation’s Capital with less than an inch of snow (0.2”) since 2013.  Since November 1, there has been a combined total of only 0.6” of snow in the Nation’s Capital.  That’s the lowest seasonal total through January 31 since 1997-1998 when only a trace fell for the entire winter.  A trace of precipitation is less than 0.01” according to the American Meteorological Society (AMS).

Being Groundhog Day, the fact that “Punxsutawney Phil” didn’t see his shadow this morning and is calling for an early spring is ironic.  That’s because there hasn’t been much of a winter so far in the Nation’s Capital.  December 2019 was also warmer than average.  Winter weather enthusiasts shouldn’t give up hope yet as February is DC’s snowiest month of the year on average with 5.7”.  Six of DC’s 10 largest snowstorms have occurred in February.

While only six of the last 20 February’s have produced above average snowfall in the Nation’s Capital, all but two have had measurable snowfall.  February is also one of the drier months with an average of only 2.62” of rain.  There have been 13 drier than average February’s in Washington, D.C. dating back to 2000.

Average temperatures in the Nation’s Capital range from a high/low of 44°/29° on February 1 to 51°/34° on February 29.  The warmest February temperature on record in the Nation’s Capital is 84° on February 25, 1930.  DC’s coldest February temperature since weather records began in 1871 is -15 on February 11, 1899.  It’s worth pointing out that DC weather records have been kept at National Airport since it opened in the early 1940s and it’s never been below 0° there in February.  The coldest February temperature at National Airport is 4° (February 2, 1961).

The last four February’s have been warmer than average in the Nation’s Capital and that includes DC’s warmest on record in 2017 and third warmest in 2018.  Washingtonians had six days in the 70s in February 2017, while February 2018 featured DC’s earliest 80° temperature on record.  While a month could be warmer and drier than average as a whole, the right ingredients could still come together to produce a respectable snowfall.  However, NOAA’s outlook for February 2020 is for warmer and wetter than average conditions in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  Spring-like temperatures are expected to start the new work week.

Record High Temperatures (Source: National Weather Service)

February 3

Washington, D.C., National Airport (DCA): 65° (1927)
Dulles Airport, Sterling, Virginia (IAD): 66° (1991)
BWI Airport, Baltimore, Maryland: 66° (1932)

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February 4

DCA: 70° (1991)
IAD: 70° (1991)
BWI: 72° (1991)

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February 5

DCA: 74° (2019)
IAD: 73° (1991)
BWI: 73° (1991)

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DC’s Ten Warmest February’s (Source: NWS)

1.  47.7° (2017)
2.  46.9° (1976)
3.  45.3° (2018)
4.  45.2° (1990)
5.  44.7° (1997)
6.  44.4° (2012)
7.  43.8° (1984, 1949)
9.  43.7° (1981)
10. 43.5° (1954)