July is both D.C.’s hottest and wettest month, on average — a combination that says a lot about what midsummer feels like in the city.
Normal and record daily temperatures
By July 6, the average high temperature in D.C. climbs to its annual peak of 90 degrees. It holds there through July 27, meaning more than two-thirds of the month typically features highs around 90.
Before the current 1991–2020 climate normals, the peak average high was 89 degrees. July’s temperatures over the long-term record tell a broader story of warming, driven by both climate change and urbanization.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in D.C. — 106 degrees — occurred on July 20, 1930. At the other extreme, the chilliest July reading is 52 degrees, recorded most recently in 1933.
Record daily precipitation
As in June, midsummer downpours are common as the region enters the peak of thunderstorm season. These deluges don’t usually hit the same location day after day, but over time they can soak different parts of the area in succession.
D.C.’s wettest July day brought 4.69 inches of rain, producing waist-deep flooding in parts of the city, according to reporting by The Washington Post.
Monthly temperatures by the year
The hottest July on record — and the hottest month of any kind in Washington’s climate record — was 2011, with an average temperature of 84.5 degrees.
In data going back to 1872, the five hottest Julys have all occurred since 2010, including 2020 (third warmest) and 2024 (fourth).
At the other end of the spectrum, 1891 holds the record for the coolest July, with an average temperature of 71.9 degrees.
Over the long term, July temperatures in Washington have trended warmer. The average July temperature was 77 degrees in 1926, compared with about 81 degrees today.
Monthly precipitation by the year
As D.C.’s wettest month on average, July precipitation totals have remained fairly steady over time, typically varying by no more than about half an inch from the long-term average.
The wettest July on record brought 11.06 inches of rain to the city. At the other extreme, a few unusually dry Julys have ended with less than an inch of total precipitation.
Because the month combines frequent thunderstorm threats with abundant atmospheric moisture, heavy downpours can quickly produce significant flooding on at least a localized scale.
Days at or above 90
Like overall temperatures, the number of 90-degree days in Washington has increased over time. About a century ago, the city typically saw nine or 10 days per year reaching that threshold. Today, the average is closer to 15.
Some summers push far beyond that. In 2020, an astounding 28 days in July alone reached at least 90 degrees — the most ever recorded in a single summer month.
At the other extreme, 1891 saw no days reach 90 degrees during July.
Independence Day weather
Falling just before the statistical hottest part of the year, Independence Day in Washington usually feels like deep summer, although it occasionally offers a more comfortable day.
The record high for July 4 is 100 degrees, set in 1919. At the other extreme, the record low is 52 degrees, which also stands as the lowest temperature ever recorded in July in the city.
Conditions vary from year to year. Four of the ten years ending in 2025 had highs below 90 degrees. But some have been much hotter — in 2012, the temperature reached 99 degrees. On the cooler side, 2016 saw a high of just 74 degrees, tied for the fifth-coolest maximum for the date.
Events of note
July 4, 1984: A suspected tornado of unusual intensity struck the region and was described as being of “unprecedented severity.”
July 8, 2019: One of Washington’s most extreme downpours occurred when 3.44 inches of rain fell in just one hour at Reagan National Airport — the highest one-hour total on record there.
July 19, 1850: A tropical storm tracked north after making landfall in North Carolina, producing storm surge of up to 6 feet in parts of the Chesapeake Bay.
July 20, 1930: Washington reached its all-time high temperature of 106 degrees (tied for the record).
July 24, 1788: A powerful hurricane passed over Mount Vernon, the Virginia home of George Washington. He described it as “violent and severe,” with the Potomac River rising four feet and sweeping boats into nearby fields.
July 26, 1897: Maryland’s state rainfall record was set when 14.75 inches fell in Jewell.
July 30, 2016: The first of two catastrophic floods struck Ellicott City, Maryland, when a 1,000-year rainfall event devastated the historic downtown and two people were killed.
