Only a trace of snow has fallen at BWI so far this winter. It's also been one of the warmest starts to a winter since record-keeping began. Here's the rundown from the National Weather Service:
METEOROLOGICAL WINTER...THE 90 DAY PERIOD ENCOMPASSING THE MONTHS OF
DEC-JAN-FEB...IS NOW HALF OVER. FOR THE PERIOD 01 DEC 2006
THROUGH 14 JAN 2007...HERE ARE A FEW ITEMS OF INTEREST.
AT DCA (REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT)...THE AVERAGE TEMP OF 45.4F DURING THE 45 DAYS (DEC 1-JAN 14)
MARKING THE FIRST HALF OF WINTER RANKS IT 2ND WARMEST ON RECORD...
SINCE 1872. THE WARMEST FOR THIS 45 DAY PERIOD WAS IN THE WINTER
1889-90 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMP WAS 46.6F. ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW HAS
FALLEN SO FAR IN WASHINGTON DC SINCE DEC 1ST...TYING IT WITH 10
OTHER SIMILAR FIRST HALF OF WINTER PERIODS...4 WINTERS IN DC HAVE
REPORTED NO SNOW IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE WINTER PERIOD. TOTAL
PRECIPITATION OF 3.62" FOR THIS PERIOD IS ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF
THE NORMAL RAINFALL OF 4.53".
AT BWI...THE AVERAGE TEMP OF 43.5F DURING THE 45 DAYS (DEC 1-JAN 14)
MARKING THE FIRST HALF OF WINTER RANKS IT 4TH WARMEST ON RECORD...
SINCE 1872. THE WARMEST SIMILAR 45 DAY WINTER PERIOD WAS ALSO DURING
THE WINTER 1889-90 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMP WAS 46.6F. ONLY A TRACE OF
SNOW HAS FALLEN SO FAR IN BALTIMORE SINCE DEC 1ST...TYING IT WITH
10 OTHER SIMILAR FIRST HALF WINTER PERIODS...INCLUDING LAST WINTER.
TOTAL PRECIPITATION SO FAR OF 4.18" FOR THIS PERIOD IS SLIGHTLY BELOW
THE NORMAL RAINFALL OF 4.95".
That said, this April-in-January weather is about to come to a screeching halt. Take your winter coats to work tomorrow, and send the kids in something warm. After a balmy start to the day, temperatures will start to fall during the day, leading us into one of the coldest days (WEDS) of the season so far. And it will barge in with plenty of wind behind it. The rest of the week will feel every bit like January. No snow in the cards yet, but the ducks are lining up.