Washington, DC, hasn't had snow like this in 2 years
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Jan 30, 2021 11:22 AM EST
After another lackluster season in terms of snowfall, snow lovers in Washington, D.C., may be wondering if the upcoming snowstorm could bring the first snowfall of over an inch in almost two years -- or if the approaching storm will be another bust for the area.
The nation's capital has reported only 0.30 of an inch so far for the 2020-21 winter season. This accumulation came on Jan. 25 when a quick-moving winter storm swept through parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Snow was reported several times during the month of December, but accumulations failed to reach 0.10 of an inch or greater, the amount required to consider snowfall measurable.
"We are excited for some snow," Kate Newhard of Leesburg, Virginia, which is located north and west of D.C., told AccuWeather. "Honestly, I'm hoping for no mixing," she declared, reflecting on the mid-December storm. The last storm came with a mix of freezing rain and ice that cut down on snow totals and caused issues like power outages for the area.
Zengo Rosenthal, left, and Marissa Wilson laugh after Wilson tumbled into the snow as they went sledding on the House side of the Capitol in Washington during a spring snowstorm Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
"It would be wonderful to have pure snow to play in with Cora," Newhard said of her 22-month-old daughter. The mid-December storm was her first snowfall, she continued. "Cora was apprehensible at first, but once she was out there, she loved it."
Newhard, who previously worked as a meteorologist at AccuWeather for several years, noted that a lot of people have been asking her for predictions on the approaching winter storm. "I think people are getting concerned and excited about it," she said, adding that the timing of the upcoming storm could be a mess for Monday's commute.
"The stores have been OK, but panic will set in Sunday probably," Newhard said, careful to note that her snowblower is all ready to go for the storm. "People wait until the last minute here," she observed.
Prior to the arrival of the impending storm, snow enthusiasts would have to think back to Jan. 18, 2020, to find the last measurable snowfall in D.C. On that day, a barely measurable 0.20 of an inch fell over the city.
Cora Newhard takes in her first snowfall in Leesburg, Virginia, in mid-December 2020. (Kate Newhard)
The total snowfall for the entire 2019-20 winter season was a mere 0.60 of an inch -- a bonafide snow drought for the city, which normally gets 15.5 inches of snow each winter, based on the averages over the 30-year period from 1981 to 2010.
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"The last storm that brought an inch or more of snow to the district was Feb. 20, 2019, when 2.6 inches was reported," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "Earlier that year, a storm brought 10.3 inches of snow from Jan. 12-14."
The winter of 2018-19 was much snowier with 16.9 inches of total accumulation throughout the season.
The snow drought seemed to begin in earnest five years ago, according to Newhard. "The atmosphere seemed to get all of it out in January 2016," she said. That month, a whopping 18.8 inches of snow walloped D.C. -- or more than three times the normal snow for the first month of the year, and a snowfall total that eclipsed what the city typically picks up during an entire season.
A worker clears the first snow of the season in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
This significant snowfall drought is not unique to Washington, D.C. Just 118 miles away, Philadelphia also had little in the way of snowfall during the 2019-20 winter season, reporting just 0.30 of an inch of snow for the entirety of the season.
However, this winter, the City of Brotherly Love has already picked up 6.6 inches of snowfall, after capitalizing on a blockbuster storm that brought nearly 4 feet of snow to southern New York in December.
The 2020-21 season is still falling well below average annual snowfall with the December storm bringing the only measurable snow for the city. On average, Philadelphia measures 22.4 inches of snow each year.
There is the potential for a dent to be knocked into the snowfall drought for these two cities as a storm system gets its "second wind" tracking across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic early next week.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to pick up a few inches of snowfall from Sunday into Tuesday. However, the exact track and timing of the storm may have a significant impact on how much snow falls in these cities.
"Some milder air higher in the atmosphere could cause the precipitation to change to a wintry mix, including sleet, and then perhaps rain in [Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia]," Sosnowski said, adding that a wedge of dry air could sweep up from the south instead and shut off precipitation.
All of these factors could limit the amount of snowfall in areas along this portion of the I-95 corridor.
AccuWeather meteorologists are also pointing to some similarities between this approaching storm and an impressive storm that brought 1-2 feet of snow to a broad area of the mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians and southern New England in February 2003.
"While this storm may come close to the same strength, the air the storm has to work with early next week is not quite as cold as that of 2003 and would result in less snowfall in general," AccuWeather Forecasting Manager Dan DePodwin added. "But the point is that Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston all picked up heavy snow from the President's Day storm."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Winter Weather
Washington, DC, hasn't had snow like this in 2 years
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Jan 30, 2021 11:22 AM EST
After another lackluster season in terms of snowfall, snow lovers in Washington, D.C., may be wondering if the upcoming snowstorm could bring the first snowfall of over an inch in almost two years -- or if the approaching storm will be another bust for the area.
The nation's capital has reported only 0.30 of an inch so far for the 2020-21 winter season. This accumulation came on Jan. 25 when a quick-moving winter storm swept through parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Snow was reported several times during the month of December, but accumulations failed to reach 0.10 of an inch or greater, the amount required to consider snowfall measurable.
"We are excited for some snow," Kate Newhard of Leesburg, Virginia, which is located north and west of D.C., told AccuWeather. "Honestly, I'm hoping for no mixing," she declared, reflecting on the mid-December storm. The last storm came with a mix of freezing rain and ice that cut down on snow totals and caused issues like power outages for the area.
Zengo Rosenthal, left, and Marissa Wilson laugh after Wilson tumbled into the snow as they went sledding on the House side of the Capitol in Washington during a spring snowstorm Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
"It would be wonderful to have pure snow to play in with Cora," Newhard said of her 22-month-old daughter. The mid-December storm was her first snowfall, she continued. "Cora was apprehensible at first, but once she was out there, she loved it."
Newhard, who previously worked as a meteorologist at AccuWeather for several years, noted that a lot of people have been asking her for predictions on the approaching winter storm. "I think people are getting concerned and excited about it," she said, adding that the timing of the upcoming storm could be a mess for Monday's commute.
"The stores have been OK, but panic will set in Sunday probably," Newhard said, careful to note that her snowblower is all ready to go for the storm. "People wait until the last minute here," she observed.
Prior to the arrival of the impending storm, snow enthusiasts would have to think back to Jan. 18, 2020, to find the last measurable snowfall in D.C. On that day, a barely measurable 0.20 of an inch fell over the city.
Cora Newhard takes in her first snowfall in Leesburg, Virginia, in mid-December 2020. (Kate Newhard)
The total snowfall for the entire 2019-20 winter season was a mere 0.60 of an inch -- a bonafide snow drought for the city, which normally gets 15.5 inches of snow each winter, based on the averages over the 30-year period from 1981 to 2010.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"The last storm that brought an inch or more of snow to the district was Feb. 20, 2019, when 2.6 inches was reported," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "Earlier that year, a storm brought 10.3 inches of snow from Jan. 12-14."
The winter of 2018-19 was much snowier with 16.9 inches of total accumulation throughout the season.
The snow drought seemed to begin in earnest five years ago, according to Newhard. "The atmosphere seemed to get all of it out in January 2016," she said. That month, a whopping 18.8 inches of snow walloped D.C. -- or more than three times the normal snow for the first month of the year, and a snowfall total that eclipsed what the city typically picks up during an entire season.
A worker clears the first snow of the season in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018.
This significant snowfall drought is not unique to Washington, D.C. Just 118 miles away, Philadelphia also had little in the way of snowfall during the 2019-20 winter season, reporting just 0.30 of an inch of snow for the entirety of the season.
Related:
However, this winter, the City of Brotherly Love has already picked up 6.6 inches of snowfall, after capitalizing on a blockbuster storm that brought nearly 4 feet of snow to southern New York in December.
The 2020-21 season is still falling well below average annual snowfall with the December storm bringing the only measurable snow for the city. On average, Philadelphia measures 22.4 inches of snow each year.
There is the potential for a dent to be knocked into the snowfall drought for these two cities as a storm system gets its "second wind" tracking across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic early next week.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to pick up a few inches of snowfall from Sunday into Tuesday. However, the exact track and timing of the storm may have a significant impact on how much snow falls in these cities.
"Some milder air higher in the atmosphere could cause the precipitation to change to a wintry mix, including sleet, and then perhaps rain in [Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia]," Sosnowski said, adding that a wedge of dry air could sweep up from the south instead and shut off precipitation.
All of these factors could limit the amount of snowfall in areas along this portion of the I-95 corridor.
AccuWeather meteorologists are also pointing to some similarities between this approaching storm and an impressive storm that brought 1-2 feet of snow to a broad area of the mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians and southern New England in February 2003.
"While this storm may come close to the same strength, the air the storm has to work with early next week is not quite as cold as that of 2003 and would result in less snowfall in general," AccuWeather Forecasting Manager Dan DePodwin added. "But the point is that Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston all picked up heavy snow from the President's Day storm."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo