DC Metro Weather: Has This Winter Been Boring?
As Boston and the rest of New England gears up for a major blizzard this weekend, DC is keeping it relatively mild and calm.
A snowstorm being described as “epic,” “record-breaking” and “potentially historic” will bear down on southern New England Friday and into the weekend, dumping two feet or more of snow there along with high winds.
This weekend, the D.C. metro area basically will keep its status quo—temperatures in the 40s with periodic clouds and rain.
Has the D.C. metro area’s winter been boring so far?
January 2013 temperatures were about 4 degrees warmer than average.
This winter’s snowfall has been less than average. In January, the DC metro area received 3 inches of snow. February has brought just a few dustings. There has been a little bit more to the north and west in both months.
The average snowfall for our area in January (from 1981 to 2010) was 5.6 inches. The typical February has brought 4.8 inches of the white stuff. In other words, we’ve had a light season even by Northern Virginia standards.
February of 2010 (“Snowmageddon!” “The Snowpocalypse!”) was our most recent real anomaly with 32 inches of snow in February alone, divided between two major snowstorms. (Ironically, January of 2010 was also unusually warm.)
In November, meteorologists in the DC area were divided in their predictions for this winter: WJLA’s Brian van de Graff told Patch he thought this winter would be a little colder than average and just above average precipitation going into the winter season.
The outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) in October called for approximately equal chances that the East Coast will have above or below normal precipitation and temperatures.
Despite what Punxsutawney Phil and Potomac Phil both said—that we’re expecting an early spring—it’s still winter. That means there’s still a chance for winter to act a bit more… well, wintery.
Are you happy we haven’t seen much snow this winter, or would you like to see at least one storm big enough for a snowball fight? Tell us in the comments!
Bob
3:08 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Yes, it's been boring -- but after moving here from Connecticut -- we like it this way!
Robert Dold
6:49 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
B O R I N G !!!!!!! Boring with a capital B. Roads have been treated over 5 times this winter only to have a trace or nothing AT ALL !!!!!! Wasted millions !
Christine Gavlick
7:24 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
I've been here 15 YEARS and I'VE SEEN ONE WINTER IN THE LAST 15 HERE THAT HAD ONE OR TWO GOOD SNOWS. THIS PLACE SUCKS!! I MISS PA!!!
Christine Gavlick
7:25 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Doesn't matter what month my mom calls me, the weather in Alexandria, VA is always the same: drizzly, gray and dreary--looking like Hell on Earth but never DOES ANYTHING--EPITOME OF DEPRESSING!!!
Carol Lewis
8:54 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
Geeze, Christine, have you not been here in the spring when the azaleas and cherry trees and dogwoods are blooming?! It's gorgeous. I think "looking like hell on earth" is a bit of an overstatement. We've had some lovely clear, cold, winter days this year. I'd rather have a boring winter than have to deal with a lot of snow but then, I'm an old lady with an old dog and we don't do well in snowy weather.