Most Impressive DC Area wide event since 1980 OTHER than anything associated with 2009-10 winter

[Deck Pic]

vote

[Deck Pic]

1/19/94, and I think everything else is a distant 2nd

[Avdave]

Damn some tough choices, I wasnt here for all of them so that helps narrow it down somewhat. i will have to think about this before I vote

[ORH_wxman]

1/19/94, and I think everything else is a distant 2nd

Agreed. For a single event...definitely.

That was a -34F departure wasn't it?

[Deck Pic]

Agreed. For a single event...definitely.

That was a -34F departure wasn't it?

yes...-33.5

[Deck Pic]

Agreed. For a single event...definitely.

That was a -34F departure wasn't it?

To me it is all about the max

tied for 2nd coldest max EVER .....mindboggling

[MN Transplant]

Great list. Will have to give it some thought tomorrow.

[ORH_wxman]

To me it is all about the max

tied for 2nd coldest max EVER .....mindboggling

Yeah I remember you telling me what the max was a while ago on that date and I replied to you that I didn't even think that was possible in DCA...nevermind during the modern era.

[Deck Pic]

Yeah I remember you telling me what the max was a while ago on that date and I replied to you that I didn't even think that was possible in DCA...nevermind during the modern era.

it's not possible....It would be like getting a 34" storm at DCA

[EastCoast NPZ]

voted for the '83 blizzard before I saw the choice for Jan 1996. I don't recall anything of note occuring in Jan 94 (other than the Cowboys winning Super Bowl XXVIII). What is that about?

[Deck Pic]

voted for the '83 blizzard before I saw the choice for Jan 1996. I don't recall anything of note occuring in Jan 94 (other than the Cowboys winning Super Bowl XXVIII). What is that about?

see the posts above,...we are talking about it

[RodneyS]

1/19/94, and I think everything else is a distant 2nd

As far as a single-day event, I agree. Regarding multi-day and seasonal events, I think August and September 1980 takes the prize, with thirty-six 90+ days and eighteen 95+ days. Consider Labor Day Weekend 1980: 96 on Saturday, 95 on Sunday, and 99 on Monday. Then, for the return to work and school on Tuesday -- 101.

[ORH_wxman]

I always found the 11/11/87 storm obscenely anomalous at DCA as well...it would be one thing if it occurred in the central hills over 500 feet or even at IAD....but for DCA to see that amount of snow that early is pretty ridiculous.

[PhineasC]

PD2. For whatever reason that storm is totally burned in my memory.

[mitchnick]

1/19/94, and I think everything else is a distant 2nd

I had to walk 10 blocks in Baltimore City that day only to find out Court was canceled because the judge couldn't make it...gubmnt workers

and then I had to walk 10 blocks back to the parking garage

[87storms]

PD2. For whatever reason that storm is totally burned in my memory.

that was a special storm and probably would be on top of my list even with the 2010 events included on the list (though feb 5 and 10th "combined" might top the list...feb 10 made it look like siberia outside). i was in gaithersburg at the time and just remembered it kept snowing...and snowing...and snowing...and a cold snow at that.

[WEATHER53]

I missed a lot of the snow but the rain in that late June of 2006(I think) was 1"+ for hours on end.

[jnis]

To me, i think of the 1/19/94 event as the kick off to the 93-94 ice winter.

[H2O]

Vet day storm. Early Nov and over a foot of snow in places. DCA got 11.5. The bad forecast added to the total surprise as schools and traffic was caught completely off guard. Having to walk home from the bus driver being too afraid to go down a road near my house made it that much more awesome.

I seriously doubt it will ever snow as early in Nov like that again.

[EastCoast NPZ]

see the posts above,...we are talking about it

7 / -4 is very cold, especially for DCA; however, Dulles was just 6/-6. I can't find records for Winchester on that date, but that's a little meh for this area. Just from memory, I've seen it colder in this area in 1985 (Inauguration weekend) - highs and lows - and 1996 (at least overnight lows). Are those DCA temps records? I guess you could look at it from the standpoint that those temps will probably never be repeated at DCA due to just the UHI effect alone, if not climate change.

I think if we are considering an "area wide" event, Jan 1996 was more impressive as it gave a large portion of the area it's largest snowstorm on record. It was the largest snow-storm in this area based on any records I could find, and I thought it also was the largest at IAD. Not sure about DCA. Interesting list and discussion.

[MN Transplant]

On the topic of 1/19/94:

DCA:

T-2nd lowest max temp

7th lowest average temperature (8th place is 1/17/1982 - the rest are 1934 or earlier)

IAD

Lowest max temp

3rd lowest average temp

BWI:

2nd lowest max

9th lowest min

2nd lowest average temp

The argument for 1/19/94 is that it is such an anomalous record in a period where warmer temperatures dominate (due to several factors).

The argument against 1/19/94 is that it isn't an all-time record in a time period where all-time records are falling (7/7/12 at DCA, 7/22/11 at BWI&IAD)

In fact, perhaps the missing date from the list is 7/22/11, with the all-time highest average temps at BWI & IAD, the 3rd highest average temp at DCA, the 2nd highest max at BWI, and the all-time record max at IAD.

[MN Transplant]

7 / -4 is very cold, especially for DCA; however, Dulles was just 6/-6. I can't find records for Winchester on that date, but that's a little meh for this area. Just from memory, I've seen it colder in this area in 1985 (Inauguration weekend) - highs and lows - and 1996 (at least overnight lows). Are those DCA temps records? I guess you could look at it from the standpoint that those temps will probably never be repeated at DCA due to just the UHI effect alone, if not climate change.

I think if we are considering an "area wide" event, Jan 1996 was more impressive as it gave a large portion of the area it's largest snowstorm on record. It was the largest snow-storm in this area based on any records I could find, and I thought it also was the largest at IAD. Not sure about DCA. Interesting list and discussion.

WINCHESTER 7 SE (449186)

Lowest Daily Average Temperature (degrees F)

Days: 1/1 - 12/31

Length of period: 1 day

Years: 1912-2012

Rank Value Ending Date

1 -2.5 1/19/1994

2 -1.5 2/5/1996

3 -1.0 1/21/1994, 1/18/1982

5 -0.5 1/21/1985

6 0.5 1/22/1984, 1/11/1982

8 2.5 1/20/1994, 12/26/1983, 12/30/1917

Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature (degrees F)

Days: 1/1 - 12/31

Length of period: 1 day

Years: 1912-2012

Rank Value Ending Date

1 -18 1/19/1994

2 -16 2/5/1996

3 -15 1/22/1994, 1/21/1994, 1/22/1984

6 -11 1/17/1982

7 -10 1/21/1985, 1/18/1982, 1/2/1968

10 -9 1/21/1984

[Deck Pic]

7 / -4 is very cold, especially for DCA; however, Dulles was just 6/-6. I can't find records for Winchester on that date, but that's a little meh for this area. Just from memory, I've seen it colder in this area in 1985 (Inauguration weekend) - highs and lows - and 1996 (at least overnight lows). Are those DCA temps records? I guess you could look at it from the standpoint that those temps will probably never be repeated at DCA due to just the UHI effect alone, if not climate change.

I think if we are considering an "area wide" event, Jan 1996 was more impressive as it gave a large portion of the area it's largest snowstorm on record. It was the largest snow-storm in this area based on any records I could find, and I thought it also was the largest at IAD. Not sure about DCA. Interesting list and discussion.

it is the coldest max ever recorded at IAD.....I am pretty sure it wasn't "meh" for winchester....agree on the mins...with radational cooling, outlying areas have been much colder on other nights...it is about the air mass

EDIT - just saw MNTRansplants posts...not very "meh"

[Deck Pic]

On the topic of 1/19/94:

DCA:

T-2nd lowest max temp

7th lowest average temperature (8th place is 1/17/1982 - the rest are 1934 or earlier)

IAD

Lowest max temp

3rd lowest average temp

BWI:

2nd lowest max

9th lowest min

2nd lowest average temp

The argument for 1/19/94 is that it is such an anomalous record in a period where warmer temperatures dominate (due to several factors).

The argument against 1/19/94 is that it isn't an all-time record in a time period where all-time records are falling (7/7/12 at DCA, 7/22/11 at BWI&IAD)

In fact, perhaps the missing date from the list is 7/22/11, with the all-time highest average temps at BWI & IAD, the 3rd highest average temp at DCA, the 2nd highest max at BWI, and the all-time record max at IAD.

I decided to lump 2010-12 together....but 7/22 would have been a good one......I don't really get the "All time records" argument.....when the all time records are all heat related

[Deck Pic]

1/19/94, and I think everything else is a distant 2nd

runners-up

11/11/87, Dec 1989, Isabel, June 2006

[EastCoast NPZ]

-18F at Winchester? I apologize then. That is the opposite of meh. Don't know why I didn't recall that cold snap.

Still think Jan 1996 is most impressive, though. Snow > cold. Don't care if it was -100F.

[EastCoast NPZ]

WINCHESTER 7 SE (449186)

Lowest Daily Average Temperature (degrees F)

Days: 1/1 - 12/31

Length of period: 1 day

Years: 1912-2012

Rank Value Ending Date

1 -2.5 1/19/1994

2 -1.5 2/5/1996

3 -1.0 1/21/1994, 1/18/1982

5 -0.5 1/21/1985

6 0.5 1/22/1984, 1/11/1982

8 2.5 1/20/1994, 12/26/1983, 12/30/1917

Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature (degrees F)

Days: 1/1 - 12/31

Length of period: 1 day

Years: 1912-2012

Rank Value Ending Date

1 -18 1/19/1994

2 -16 2/5/1996

3 -15 1/22/1994, 1/21/1994, 1/22/1984

6 -11 1/17/1982

7 -10 1/21/1985, 1/18/1982, 1/2/1968

10 -9 1/21/1984

I find it fascinating to see so many "cold" records from the mid-80s period. 5 of the 10 coldest mins are from that period, and 5 of the top 8 coldest maxes also. That fits my memories of there being a "Siberian Express" (as Bob Ryan used to call it) almost once per winter in my early teens. Memories of ice-skating and playing hockey on frozen ponds as a young-boy in the mid-to-late 70's, and of the Shen River completely frozen over for stretches. Totally different now. Even in cold waves now we're lucking to get into single-digits, much less below zero. Can't remember the last time it's been cold enough (for long enough) to freeze the river over, or be able to ice-skate. The lows seem to have warmed so much that it seems the Valley has its own UHI. Is it possible a localized green-house effect is caused from all the pollutants hovering overhead, trapped between the mountains? I know that the air quality in Shen Park is much poorer than it used to be. I look at pictures from many years ago, and even on good-weather days now the views are not as clear as they once were. it's sad.

[PrinceFrederickWx]

I can't vote- too many good events on that list to choose just one. I'm happy to see everyone discussiing the 93/94 cold snap and ice storms- that was one of the most memorable winters here, though it seems to be forgotten by many.

A few other mid-atlantic events not on the list that were impressive (to me, at least):

1/25/00 snowstorm

1/26/11 winter storm

Feb. 2006 snowstorm

10/29/11 snow

Feb. 1996 cold and snow

Floyd

Lee remnants

Nicole remnants

Irene

April 2011 tornado outbreak

[Deck Pic]

I can't vote- too many good events on that list to choose just one. I'm happy to see everyone discussiing the 93/94 cold snap and ice storms- that was one of the most memorable winters here, though it seems to be forgotten by many.

A few other mid-atlantic events not on the list that were impressive (to me, at least):

1/25/00 snowstorm

1/26/11 winter storm

Feb. 2006 snowstorm

10/29/11 snow

Feb. 1996 cold and snow

Floyd

Lee remnants

Nicole remnants

Irene

April 2011 tornado outbreak

I think you could make a very good argument that these should have made the top 20

I also probably should have lumped in 1/17/82 with 1/19/94 as a duo

[EastCoast NPZ]

I can't vote- too many good events on that list to choose just one. I'm happy to see everyone discussiing the 93/94 cold snap and ice storms- that was one of the most memorable winters here, though it seems to be forgotten by many.

A few other mid-atlantic events not on the list that were impressive (to me, at least):

1/25/00 snowstorm

1/26/11 winter storm

Feb. 2006 snowstorm

10/29/11 snow

Feb. 1996 cold and snow

Floyd

Lee remnants

Nicole remnants

Irene

April 2011 tornado outbreak

If you put 10-29-11 on the list then you must put 10-10-79 on it as well. DCA got .3" I believe, but we got 14" of snow in eastern Warren County w/ incredible tree damage and power outages. By comparison, it occured nearly 3 weeks earlier than last October's storm, and produced more substantial accumulations in most locations, and much greater totals out this way.