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Record Breaking Cold 2/19-2/20


Windman18

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Current Records for February 19-20 at the 3 major aiports. Good shot at breaking these records.

FEB 19 REC LOW REC LOW MAX

DCA 4 (1903) 16 (1903)

BWI 5 (1903) 19 (1903)

IAD 7 (1979) 28 (1993)

FEB 20

DCA 8 (1896) 18 (1896)

BWI 4 (1979) 18 (1896)

IAD -2 (1979) 26 (1972/1966)

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It's shaping up to be an historic week for cold this late. MRB broke their low max records each of the past two days. Records have been kept there since 1926. Looks likely that they will do it again on the 19th and 20th. Maybe a record low in there somewhere too.

2/19 low max 26 (1936) low min 5 (1936)

2/20 low max 23 (1972) low min 0 (1979)

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It's a shorter period of record. For the current location at DCA:

Feb 19 low max 27 (1993) low min 11 (1993)

Feb 20 low max 28 (1959) low min 10 (1979)

Because of the short (just over 52 year) duration, Dulles records can be fluky.  The all-time February low there was -14 on February 18, 1979 (the Sunday of the first Presidents Day storm).  On the other hand, February 24th has never seen a temperature colder than +14 (in 1967).  However, as I posted on the "Our region's extreme run" thread, if we reach -3 or lower at Dulles this week, that would be the coldest day there since February 6, 1996, when the low temperature was -9.  We reached -2 there last year on January 23rd and -1 on March 4th.

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The whole year or just winter?

Winter: 1/19/94 (-4 F)

Otherwise, 4/10/97 (28 F) and 5/20/02 (42 F).

Urbanization and general warming is a lethal combo. At least Balt location moved from the city to a less UHI spot. At DCA you always have to multi step process to show it was cold. ;)
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The whole year or just winter? 

Winter: 1/19/94 (-4 F)

Otherwise, 4/10/97 (28 F) and 5/20/02 (42 F).

Thanks for the info. All the data provided are appreciated. Forgive me for being anecdotal, but DCA seems to be one of the hardest places in the country to break a record low. Maybe it's more regional than national, but it's rediculous that it's been so long since setting a new record low.

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Thanks for the info. All the data provided are appreciated. Forgive me for being anecdotal, but DCA seems to be one of the hardest places in the country to break a record low. Maybe it's more regional than national, but it's rediculous that it's been so long since setting a new record low.

It also has to do with moving the official site to the current location. I think only 66 of the 366 daily record lows for Washington were set at DCA (since 1948.)

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Thanks for the info. All the data provided are appreciated. Forgive me for being anecdotal, but DCA seems to be one of the hardest places in the country to break a record low. Maybe it's more regional than national, but it's rediculous that it's been so long since setting a new record low.

It's called placing the measurement devices in a location that maximize any warming opportunity and minimize any radiational opportunity. DCA has more snow cover than practically anyone right now. River right at 32. Land mass, lots of macadam and asphalt all covered with snow. Let's see what happens tonight. And please do not offer that the buildings to the west of the airport are radiating out heat. The buildings could have every office window and door wide open with the heat set on 75 and it would Still Not be enough to waft over to DCA and spike the temp.

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It also has to do with moving the official site to the current location. I think only 66 of the 366 daily record lows for Washington were set at DCA (since 1948.)

I mean, it's an issue to a degree (see what I did there?), but it would be worth comparing the same period to other sites to see how many of THOSE records were post-1948

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I mean, it's an issue to a degree (see what I did there?), but it would be worth comparing the same period to other sites to see how many of THOSE records were post-1948

Not sure what would be a good comp. BWI has 277 of the 366 record lows since 1948. But that station was moved from the city to its current location.

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Dulles hit -17 after the 2nd 1987 storm, -10 after the 2/2/96 storm, -14 after PD1, and -16 and -18 in 1984 when there wasn't any meaningful snowcover.  None of those air masses were substantially different than this one...those lows are all radiational...UHI is real...Does anyone think IAD could hit -18 again?  LOL

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Dulles hit -17 after the 2nd 1987 storm, -10 after the 2/2/96 storm, -14 after PD1, and -16 and -18 in 1984 when there wasn't any meaningful snowcover.  None of those air masses were substantially different than this one...those lows are all radiational...UHI is real...Does anyone think IAD could hit -18 again?  LOL

Created before last yr which had two but yeah..

 

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