RodneyS

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA -0.3 1.1 0.9 -0.1 -0.2 1.1 0.6 -1.9 -0.2

April showers have arrived in the Mid-Atlantic, but it is rather obvious that they will not produce any measurable snow. So, it is time to award the 2023-24 Championship Trophy to Kmlwx. He was the second entrant on the day that the contest opened on 11-1-2023, but his "shot in the dark" hit the bullseye, as he accurately forecast not only another quiet snow season in the Mid-Atlantic, but also nailed the wide disparity between the snow total at Richmond and BWI/Dulles. RickinBaltimore would have walked away with the trophy if RIC were excluded, but he labored under the illusion that the airport is still located in Virginia, having missed the news that it was recently relocated to Richmond County, Georgia . . . Okay, that's an April Fool's joke, but it does seem that way regarding snow. So, congratulations to Kmlwx, and the rest of us will try again this November.

Precipitation at DCA rebounded in March to 4.89 inches, making it the 26th wettest in DC history. Moreover, December 2023-March 2024 precipitation at DCA totaled 18.61 inches, making it the 10th wettest in DC history and the wettest since 1993-1994, which totaled 21.31 (4th). The wettest December-March is 1890-91, which totaled 23.21.

The 2023-24 astronomical and composite winters were each warmer than last season at DCA. The former displaced last season as the third warmest in DC history, averaging 45.2 degrees; while the latter displaced 2019-20 as the second warmest in DC history, averaging 45.1 degrees.

You need at least 0.2 inches at IAD to pass RickinBaltimore, and 1.3 inches there would pull you within 0.3 of Kmlwx. If the latter happens, an inch at RIC could do it for you. I think 1.3 at IAD is much more likely than 1.0 at RIC, but you never know.

I hope to have that dilemma next March.

Nice shot - especially in foreseeing the large gap between RIC and the other three airports. Day-by-day, the clock is ticking in your favor.

While precipitation slowed at DCA in February, the warmth continued, with an average temperature of 44.4 degrees -- 7th warmest February in DC history. That brought the meteorological winter average to 43.2 degrees -- also 7th warmest in DC history. So, the 2023-24 DCA meteorological winter is easy to summarize -- warm and wet.

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 1.6 2.5 2.5 1.3 0.4 1.3 -0.5 -1.5 -2.1

Precipitation at DCA slowed way down in February, coming in at only 1.41 inches, which made it the 22nd driest of 154 Februaries in DC history. However, the meteorological winter total at DCA was 13.72 inches, making it the 12th wettest in DC history.

Excellent. I'm delighted that you are extending my analysis to include additional areas.

The Tuesday, January 25, 2000 snowstorm was a big surprise . . . until a new model run around 9:30 PM Monday evening. I remember Channel 5 (DC) meteorologist Sue Palka leading the 10 PM News that evening with the major update to the forecast. However, the Office of Personnel Management was not sure whether to believe the update, and so initially ordered the Federal Government to open. Wisely, they reversed themselves around 7 AM on Tuesday and shut it down. DCA received 9.3 inches that day and IAD received 10.3 inches.

I agree with you about AccuWeather, but I wasn't aware of its forecast until after the storm, when it began to receive favorable publlcity about its call.

No, but there was a significant warmup over several days with lots of rain, and the snow at DCA was gone in about a week. Here are the DCA minimum and maximum temperature readings, precipitation (and snow for the two days of the storm), and ground snow measurements, beginning with the day the storm started: 2-18-79: 6 and 15; 0.21 (4.7 snow); 6 2-19-79: 12 and 36; 1.16 (14.0 snow); 18 2-20-79: 10 and 40; 0; 22 2-21-79: 27 and 43; 0.07; 17 2-22-79: 33 and 56; 0; 12 2-23-79: 35 and 44; 0.20; 7 2-24-79: 38 and 45; 1.67; 4 2-25-79: 39 and 45; 1.12; 1 2-26-79: 38 and 41; 0.09; 0

You don't even need that if you get the 0.1 inch you need to nail BWI and the 1.3 inches you need to nail DCA.