RodneyS

July 2024 averaged 83.7 degrees at DCA, 4th warmest in DC history behind 2011 (84.5), 2012 (84.0), and 2020 (83.9). June-July 2024 averaged 81.7 at DCA, 2nd warmest in DC history, behind 2010 (81.8). January-July 2024 averaged 61.4 at DCA, 2nd warmest in DC history, behind 2012 (61.8).

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA -0.1 0.2 0.1 -0.8 -0.1 -0.5 1.3 0.7 1.5

The 2024 first half of the 92-day Northern Hemisphere meteorological summer (June 1-July 16, which encompasses 46 days) broke the all-time DC record for the warmest average, with a temperature of 81.7 at DCA, beating the previous record average of 81.0, set in 2010.

June 2024 averaged 79.7 degrees at DCA, 2nd warmest in DC history behind 2010, which averaged 80.6 (1907 is coolest at 65.9). January-June 2024 at DCA averaged 57.6, the 2nd warmest first half in DC history, behind 2012 at 58.0. The first half of 2017 is third warmest at 57.3 and last year is 4th warmest at 57.1.

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 0.5 1.0 0.9 -0.1 0.6 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.1

May 2024 averaged 69.3 degrees at DCA, tied for 16th warmest in DC history (2015 is warmest at 73.2 and 1882 is coolest at 59.2). January-May 2024 at DCA averaged 53.2, 4th warmest in DC history, behind 2012 (54.4), 2023 (53.7), and 2017 (53.3).

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 0.0 1.1 0.3 -1.8 -0.5 0.9 1.6 0.6 0.6 99 99 97 96 97 102 99 118 97

April 2024 averaged 60.5 degrees at DCA, 10th warmest in DC history, but behind last year's 62.1 (3rd warmest). January-April 2024 at DCA averaged 49.1 degrees, 4th warmest in DC history, but again behind last year's 50.8 (warmest in DC history).

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA0.8 _ 0.3 _ -0.5 __ -0.7 _ 1.1 _ 1.6 __ -0.1 _ -0.3 _ -0.9

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.

This article notes that Delaware received nearly 25 inches. https://vlab.noaa.gov/web/nws-heritage/-/unpredictable-the-president-s-day-storm-of-1979#:~:text=By Monday%2C February 19%2C snow,blocked%2C impassable even to snowplows. What was memorable about that Sunday prior to the storm was the extreme cold -- the temperature ranges were 6 to 15 at DCA and -14 to 8 at IAD.