Significant DC Weather Milestones

January 2019 Snowfall, Bethesda, Maryland

DC Area historians and winter weather enthusiasts alike know that DC’s largest snowstorm was on this date in 1922.  Known as the “Knickerbocker Storm,” a total of 28” fell in the Nation’s Capital.  This storm took its unofficial name from the Knickerbocker Theatre in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.  The theatre had a flat roof and the weight of the snow was too great for it hold.  Consequently, the roof collapsed in the middle of a show and that killed nearly 100 people. 

The only other time a single storm dumped at least 20” of snow was the February 12 – 14, 1899 event that left 20” in the Nation’s Capital.  This January couldn’t be more different with a total of only 0.2” since New Year’s Day.  The 2019-2020 winter season as a whole has had a combined snow total of only 0.6”.  The last time Washington, D.C. got to January 31 with a seasonal total of an inch or less of snow was during the 1997-1998 winter.  Some DC residents may recall that winter had a seasonal total of only 0.1” of snow – tied for DC’s lowest seasonal snow total on record. 

Although January 2020 will finish near the monthly average rainfall total with 2.78”, the fact that so little snow has occurred underscores how warm this month has been.  January 2020 is well-positioned to finish among DC’s Top Ten Warmest January’s.  That follows December 2019 which finished 2.4° warmer than average.  And for a second consecutive year, Washingtonians will have a warmer than average December and January.  However, the right ingredients came together once last winter to produce a significant snowstorm in the Nation’s Capital with 10.3” of snow from January 12 – 14, 2019. 

The most significant weather event this month was the 1.23” of rain that occurred January 25.  That much rain could have translated into approximately a foot of snow had there been a sufficient amount of cold air in place.  There just hasn’t been much cold air this month, with 20 of the first 27 days of January being warmer than average.  Earlier this month DC residents experienced high temperatures in the 70s on consecutive days for the first time in January since 1997.

Although December and January have been significantly warmer than average, NOAA expects near to slightly cooler than average temperatures in February with near average precipitation.  February is DC’s snowiest month of the year and longtime Washingtonians know that appreciable snow can occur well into March.  Consequently, hope shouldn’t be lost on seeing winter weather this season.  The Nation’s Capital averages 15.4” of snow a year.

Warmest January’s in the Nation’s Capital (Source: NOAA)

1.  48° (1950)
2.  46.8° (1932)
3.  43.8° (1937, 1890)
5.  43.6° (1990, 1913)
7.  43.1° (2006)
8.  43.0° (1998)
9.  42.9° (1974)
10.  42.6° (1949, 1933)
12.  42.1° (2017)

Searching for Snow

A Memorable DC Snowstorm  (Source: WUSA9)

Today is the 20th anniversary of one of DC's more memorable January snow events.  Back then models didn't begin to get a better solution on the storm track until less than 24 hours before the storm.  Originally expected to harmlessly track out to sea with light snow possible well south of DC, there was a discernable change Monday evening, January 24, 2000.  
 

January 2000 was an era without smart phones and social media, so prevalent today.  That meant if you went to bed before 11:00 PM when my colleagues on the WUSA9 Weather Team issued an updated forecast, you were surprised to wake up to an accumulating snowfall on Tuesday morning, January 25.  The DC Area school systems were closed and Washingtonians experienced the largest snowfall in the Nation's Capital since the January 1996 blizzard.  A swath of 9" to 15" was common across the immediate DC Metro Area, with higher totals towards the Chesapeake Bay and daily snowfall records at the three local airports during this event.

National Airport - 9.3"
Dulles Airport, Sterling, Virginia - 10.3"
BWI Airport, Baltimore, Maryland - 14.9"

2004: January 2004 was DC's coldest since 1994 and seventh coldest overall since National Airport opened in 1941.  High temperatures remained at or below freezing on 15 days that month, including 12 of the final 16 days.  Oddly enough, for all the cold air that occurred, the month finished with near average snowfall.  The most significant snow event was the 5.7" that fell January 25 - 27.

2005:  The second half of January 2005 was similar, with high temperatures below freezing on nine of the final 15 days of the month.  Like the year before, winter weather enthusiasts were disappointed since the "largest" snowfall occurred on January 22, 2005 with a meager 3". 

2010:  The next significant January snowfall wouldn't occur for another five years until 6.4" fell at National Airport on January 30, 2010.  DC's high and low temperatures on that date were 23°/18°, which ensured it would remain a pure snow event.

2011:  Longtime DC residents may remember that January 26, 2011 for the heavy, wet 5” of snow that fell with temperatures in the low to mid 30s and snarled evening traffic.  It took many commuters several hours to get home that evening in what was dubbed “Carmageddon.” 

2016:  More recently was the record January 2016 blizzard where 17.8” accumulated at National Airport.  However, totals of 2’ to 3’ were common in DC’s northern and western suburbs. 

2019:  DC’s largest snowfall of last winter occurred from January 12 – 14, with a storm total of 10.3” at National Airport.  What helped make the January 2019 storm memorable is that accumulating snowfall occurred on three consecutive days, which is relatively rare.

Although NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects February to get off to a warmer than average start in the DC Metro Area, next month as a whole is expected to feature near to slightly colder than average temperatures.  That means DC Area winter weather enthusiasts shouldn’t give up hope on the 2019-2020 winter season.

Weather Quiz

When was the last time the Nation's Capital finished January with a total of less than 1" of snow for the winter season ?

A.  1998

B.  1993

C.  1976

D.  1973

Snowy Second Half of Winter?

DC Area snow lovers have good reason to be disappointed so far this winter.  There has been a combined total of only 0.6” of snow since December 1.  That’s well below the seasonal average of 6.2” to this point.  Although DC residents will not see any snow the rest of January, it’s too early to write off the 2019-2020 winter season.

Today is the fourth anniversary of the “Blizzard of 2016.”  Appreciable snowfall can still occur in the Nation’s Capital in February and March.  February is, in fact, DC’s snowiest month of the year, narrowly ahead of January.  Six of DC’s ten largest snowstorms on record have actually occurred in February.

It was only 10 years ago that Washingtonians endured the snowiest winter on record.  A seasonal total of 56.1” of snow occurred during the 2009-2010 winter season.  The signature winter storm of the 2009-2010 season, dubbed “Snowmageddon,” was on February 5-6 with 17.8” at National Airport (later tied by the January 2016 event).  The epic Presidents Day 2003 winter storm left 16.4” (tied by the December 2009 event).  That should help illustrate that significant snow can occur in the Nation’s Capital in February.

There have been only 12 winters in the Nation’s Capital since weather records began in the late 1800s that an inch or less of snow has fallen through January 31.  The number of winters is smaller, however, that DC has gone on to see a respectable amount of snowfall.  Most recently in 1992-1993, only 1” of snow occurred through the end of January, followed by a total of 9.7” of snow in February and March.  Areas north and west of DC saw considerably more snow during the “Superstorm of March 1993.”  However, during the height of the storm, DC transitioned from snow to sleet and that led to a much lower snow total of only 6.6”, compared to 14.1” at Dulles Airport.  

Only a trace of snow – too little to measure – occurred at National Airport through January 31, 1960.  However, the 1959-1960 winter finished with 24.3” of snow making it a snowier than average season.  That was largely the result of DC’s second snowiest March on record with 17.1”.  The 1913-1914 winter was very similar in the Nation’s Capital with only a trace of snow through January 31.  That winter season still finished with 28.6” of snow.  That’s because DC had 19.3” of snow in March 1914, making it DC’s snowiest March on record.

Not only is February DC’s snowiest month of the winter in an average year, but March has been DC’s snowiest month of the year four times in the last decade, most recently in 2018.  Consequently, as NOAA expects a near to colder than average February for the DC Metro Area, winter weather enthusiasts shouldn’t give up hope for this winter as the end of January approaches.

DC Winters </=1” of Snow has Occurred through January 31  (Source: NWS)

1.  0.1” (1997-1998)
2.  1” (1992-1993)
3.  0.5” (1975-1976)
4.  T  (1972-1973)
5.  0.2” (1968-1969)
6.  T (1959-1960)
7.  0.3” (1949-1950)
8.  1” (1931-1932)
9.  0.5” (1928-1929)
10.  0.5” (1918-1919)
11.  T (1913-1914)
12.  T (1889-1890)

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DC’s Ten Least Snowy Winters on Record

1.  0.1” (1997-1998, 1972-1973)
3.  2.0” (2011-2012)
4.  2.2” (1975-1976)
5.  2.5” (1930-1931)
6.  3.1” (2012-2013)
7.  3.2” (2001-2002)
8.  3.3” (1918-1919)
9.  3.4” (2016-2017, 1949-1950)