So is it not going to snow at ALL this winter?

[Anonymous]

I was just saying this morning that I don’t care if we have no accumulation, but I miss seeing snowflakes. I want to see snowflakes gently falling, giving a sparkly dusting to rooftops, trees and lawns. I’m fine with the snow melting as soon as it hits pavement, because I don’t want shoveling, dangerous roads or to have to see filthy piles of black snow in parking lots for weeks afterward. There’s just something comforting about seeing snow falling outside while you’re cozy inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There have been so many years with no real snow since I've lived in DC, that this doesn't seem that weird to me? I've lived here for 20 years and can only remember a few years with heavy snow. Most years get at least one snow storm but I grew up in a place where it's normal to get several feet of snow every month from January to March, so it barely registers to me.

Do we really get noticeably less snow now than DC got in the 80s and 90s? I'm not a climate change denialist -- I know it's real. It's definitely warmer than it was 20 years ago. But climate change doesn't automatically mean less snow (sometimes it can me more snow due to more volatile weather). So I'm just wondering if it was really that uncommon to have a very mild winter in the mid-Atlantic a generation ago. I feel like it's been pretty mild since I moved here in 2001.

The most recent winter with next to no snow was 1997-1998 (something like .1-.2 inches at DCA)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There have been so many years with no real snow since I've lived in DC, that this doesn't seem that weird to me? I've lived here for 20 years and can only remember a few years with heavy snow. Most years get at least one snow storm but I grew up in a place where it's normal to get several feet of snow every month from January to March, so it barely registers to me.

Do we really get noticeably less snow now than DC got in the 80s and 90s? I'm not a climate change denialist -- I know it's real. It's definitely warmer than it was 20 years ago. But climate change doesn't automatically mean less snow (sometimes it can me more snow due to more volatile weather). So I'm just wondering if it was really that uncommon to have a very mild winter in the mid-Atlantic a generation ago. I feel like it's been pretty mild since I moved here in 2001.

I think this area has had many winters where you don’t have frequent accumulation, but you when you do have accumulation, it’s either less than an inch or substantial. It tends to be boom or bust, and anything in between is infrequent. We don’t usually get 2”, and then another 2” and then another 3”. We get very little most of the time, but it seems like we used to get walloped every 2-5 years with one or two snowfalls that would have a big impact. We got 30” in Gaithersburg back in early 2016, but I’m not sure we’ve had a single snowfall with 6” or more since then.

[Anonymous]

It happens every 5 or so years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It happens every 5 or so years.

I mostly grew up here and I can’t recall ever seeing more than a few inches of snow. DC doesn’t really get snow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It happens every 5 or so years.

I mostly grew up here and I can’t recall ever seeing more than a few inches of snow. DC doesn’t really get snow.

Big DC snowstorms - I don’t know how old you are, but my kids can remember some of these.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/ten-worst-storms-in-dc-history/60569/?amp=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It happens every 5 or so years.

I mostly grew up here and I can’t recall ever seeing more than a few inches of snow. DC doesn’t really get snow.

Big DC snowstorms - I don’t know how old you are, but my kids can remember some of these.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/ten-worst-storms-in-dc-history/60569/?amp=1

NP... yep, I’m 44, and remember the Blizzard of ‘96 (senior year of HS was awesome to have so many snow days!] and the ‘09-10 winter where it started snowing in early Dec., then Snowmageddon + Snowpocalypse. I was a new fed and we missed a ton of days that winter. There was snow on the ground from early Dec. to mid-Feb.

I think our last big storm was ‘16, so we are definitely due for one. And winter has *just* started. Don’t forget we usually get most snow in Feb. and there’s always that early March snow that nobody expects even though it happens every year.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I feel like the trend in our area has been to have mild Januarys and the cold and snowy February and March. So I think there is still a chance. And I hope we do get at least ne good snow storm. I love the anticipation, settling in as the snow starts, heading out to shovel, seeing my son sledding, etc.

[Anonymous]

The unfortunate reality is that we may have already seen the last snow there will ever be in the DC area. The planet is superheated right now and we’re doing nothing to stop it. So it may never snow here again. That’s reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate reality is that we may have already seen the last snow there will ever be in the DC area. The planet is superheated right now and we’re doing nothing to stop it. So it may never snow here again. That’s reality.

This is hilarious. Great post!

[Anonymous]

This area is pretty hit or miss for snow. I'm not sad when the snow misses us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m so excited not to have any snow!!! Am I the only one that isn’t a fan?

I’d like one good storm per season that gets washed away by a warm rain 4 days later.

[Anonymous]

I remember the '96, '09-'10, and even '16. This winter has felt more like Spring is about to come but ALL WINTER LONG. Generally we have to dress warm and at least keep the windows shut, not this winter though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate reality is that we may have already seen the last snow there will ever be in the DC area. The planet is superheated right now and we’re doing nothing to stop it. So it may never snow here again. That’s reality.

Book marking this post for future hilarity.

[Anonymous]

Cold blast this weekend but, alas, no snow. Then 60 degrees with rain next week.