A timeline of the snowiest blizzards in DC, Maryland and Virginia history

Winter kicked off to an icy, chilly and snowy begin within the closing weeks of 2022 however many started to marvel what would come for Winter 2023 when it comes to blizzards. Will this snow season flip our area right into a winter wonderland? Or one other disappointing dud? 

You’ll be able to learn all about our winter expectations in our winter outlook, launched again in November. One factor is true although: the DC space has definitely been residence to some very memorable blizzards over time. 

Here’s a timeline of essentially the most impactful blizzards to ever hit our area. For those who’re having hassle viewing the interactive timeline above (resembling if on a cell system), click on right here. 

January 22-23, 2016 – 17.8″ Formally 

The newest main blizzard to hit our area occurred 7 years in the past in the course of what was really one of many warmest winters in DMV historical past. The highly effective blizzard buried suburbs like North Potomac, MD in almost 40″ of snow. Over 100,000 individuals misplaced energy as winds gusted over 50 mph. Nationally, the storm prompted ½ a billion {dollars} in damages and prompted the deaths of 55 individuals. It was a class 5 blizzard on the Regional Snowfall Index scale (RSI), essentially the most excessive class.

February 5-6, 2010 – 17.8″ Formally

The storm that might go down within the historical past books as “Snowmageddon.” It was essentially the most impactful blizzard of the snowiest winter in DMV historical past. The storm struck on a Friday with heavy snow falling effectively into the morning hours of Saturday. Elkridge, MD noticed the very best snowfall totals with simply over 38″ of snow, whereas Dulles Airport picked up nearly 33″. A class 4 blizzard on the RSI scale, its impression was exacerbated a second blizzard on February 9-10 that added a further foot of snow in lots of areas.

December 18-19, 2009 – 16.4″ Formally

This was the primary storm of the monster 2009-2010 winter that might convey almost 60″ of snow in whole to the world. This blizzard stays essentially the most intense to ever hit our space within the month of December. A class 4 blizzard on the RSI scale, this storm introduced Olney, MD almost 2 ft of snowfall within the days earlier than Christmas. Sufficient snow fell that D.C. was nonetheless reporting over ½ a foot on the bottom throughout Christmas Day.

February 16-18, 2003 – 16.4″ Formally 

Recognized to many because the Presidents’ Day Storm of 2003, this storm might have considerably worse for the district had sleet not combined in with the snow through the latter half of the storm. This RSI class 4 blizzard stays the snowiest on report for Baltimore, the place over 28″ of snow was measured formally. DC, Boston, New York and locations in-between picked up over a foot of snow, crippling the I-95 hall.

January 7-9, 1996 – 17.3″ Formally

One in every of solely three blizzards to ever obtain a class 5 rating on the RSI scale, this highly effective storm dropped over two ft of snow at Dulles Airport, whereas components of the West Virginia mountains acquired 4 ft of snow. A lot of the I-81 hall acquired over 30″ of snow. The storm is believed to have been a consider a lethal Metro crash at Shady Grove station. 

February 10-11, 1983 – 16.6″ Formally

This Blizzard, generally known as the “Megalopolitan Blizzard of 1983,” is remembered extensively for its intense episodes of “thundersnow,” largely throughout Maryland through the peak of the storm. Germantown and Frederick, MD every acquired over 30″ of snow, whereas western Loudoun County acquired as a lot as 3 ft. A class 4 blizzard on the RSI scale, the storm can be identified for sinking a bulk provider, the SS Marine Electrical, off the Virginia shoreline, killing 31 crew.

February 18-19, 1979 – 18.7″ Formally

The unique President’s Day blizzard, this storm was identified for catching our area fully off guard. Climate forecasting has come a great distance for the reason that Seventies, however again then the steering out there to climate forecasters didn’t present a serious storm till about 24 hours previous to the primary snow falling. After an preliminary snow of about 4,” a quickly intensifying nor’easter introduced snowfall charges exceeding 5″ per hour to some areas, and areas throughout the beltway picked up almost 2 ft of snow.

February 15-16, 1958 – 14.4″ Formally 

One other winter that featured two blizzards, although the second in March 1958 largely impacted areas farther northwest of the D.C. Metro space, this blizzard was a part of a robust coastal nor’easter remembered as being one of many worst for parts of the inside Northeast. The blizzard buried the DC-Baltimore hall in a widespread 1-2 ft of snow.

February 7, 1936 – 14.4″ Formally

Coming within the midst of what stays the coldest February for the contiguous United States, the storm is remembered for it’s widespread heavy snows throughout the whole lot of the Mid-Atlantic. Even the decrease Jap Shore, which generally sees heat air aloft hold snowfall charges down as a consequence of ocean interference, picked up widespread 12-18″ of snowfall. Excessive snow within the mountains adopted by continued chilly temperatures and an absence of melting had been the precursors to the Nice Spring Flood of March 1936, which was one of many worst recorded flooding occasions for our area.

January 27-29, 1922 – 28.0″ Formally

What nonetheless stands because the snowiest single storm in DC space historical past occurred over a century in the past. Now infamously generally known as the “Knickerbocker Blizzard” after the heavy snows prompted the collapse of the roof of the Knickerbocker Theater, killing almost 100 individuals who had been attending a exhibiting of Get-Wealthy-Fast Wallingford through the peak of the storm. It was a particularly uncommon case of a cutoff-low nor’easter, which prompted the storm to maneuver at almost half the ahead pace of a typical blizzard up the East Coast. 

Richmond (19″), Washington, D.C. (28″) and Baltimore (25″) had been all paralyzed by widespread 2-3 ft snowfall quantities. That is the worst snowstorm in D.C. historical past that we’ve verified information for, although it needs to be famous that the Washington-Jefferson Snowstorm of 1772 could have been better, with estimates of widespread 30-36″ of snow made within the journals of the 2 nice presidents. 

February 12-14, 1899 – 20.0″ Formally 

Now remembered because the Nice Blizzard of 1899, it occurred throughout some of the excessive outbreaks of arctic air ever recorded in america, and remembered for simply how widespread the snowfall was, notably throughout areas of the Southeast. Snow showers had been reported as far south as New Orleans, LA and Tampa, FL. A lot of Florida recorded report chilly temperatures because the storm crossed, together with Miami falling to 29°F. 

Following an preliminary blizzard on February eighth that dropped 14″ of snow, temperatures plummeted to their coldest on report together with -15°F for downtown D.C. whereas Quantico dropped to -20°F. Per week later, this second and stronger blizzard added a further almost 21″ of snow. By the point the snow was accomplished, D.C. had a official snow depth of 34″ (from each blizzards) which is a report that is still to at the present time. February of 1899 stays the snowiest month on report for D.C. with 35.2″ of snow. The winter of 1899 was so chilly over the jap United States that ice flowed from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. 

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