D.C. is many things to many people — and some winters, it’s even a snow town. During 2009–2010, there were stretches when it looked more like a city much farther north.
More often, though, snow is hit-or-miss. D.C. sits near the climatological edge for consistent snowfall, and a warming climate hasn’t helped. A century ago, seasonal snowfall averaged about 10 inches more than it does today.
Still, trends don’t tell the whole story. Snow remains a regular part of winter here, and it doesn’t take much for the region to string together a memorable season.
Winter snowfall by season
D.C. averages 13.7 inches of snow per winter, according to climate averages or "normals" using 1991–2020 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More recent 30-year periods come in even lower, reflecting a downward trend.
Snowfall in the region tends to be feast or famine. While the long-term average has dipped, some of the biggest winters have occurred relatively recently.
The snowiest winter on record was 2009–2010, when 56.1 inches fell, surpassing the previous mark of 54.4 inches set in 1888–1889. Two other recent winters rank among the top 10: 1995–1996 with 46 inches and 2002–2003 with 40.4 inches.
At the other extreme, the least snowy winters brought just 0.1 inch, in 1972–1973 and again in 1997–1998. Both coincided with strong El Niño events.
El Niño — a warming of waters in the tropical Pacific that influences global weather — can tilt the odds toward a snowy winter in this region, especially in weak to moderate phases. But stronger events often bring warmer conditions that limit snowfall.
La Niña winters tend to be colder and drier, although that relationship may be evolving in a warming climate. Notably, the snowy winter of 1995–1996 occurred during La Niña.
For a deeper dive into how these patterns influence D.C. winters, see our related coverage. [WILL ADD LINK WHEN AVAIL]
Record daily snowfall
D.C.’s average monthly snowfall, based on 1991–2020 data, ranges from just 0.1 inch in November to a peak of about 5 inches in February, with 1.7 inches in December, 4.9 inches in January and 2 inches in March.
But averages only tell part of the story. In the current climate, the first measurable snow typically arrives around Dec. 22, with the last around Feb. 25.
Seasonal extremes vary widely. October’s snowiest month brought 2.2 inches in 1925, while November’s high mark is 11.5 inches in 1987. December has reached 16.6 inches (2009), January 31.5 inches (1922), and February 35.2 inches (1899), the highest monthly total of any winter month. March has produced as much as 19.3 inches (1914), and even April has seen 5.5 inches (1924).
Daily records follow a similar pattern, with the largest one-day snowfall on record, 21 inches, falling Jan. 28, 1922, during the Knickerbocker storm.
Monthly one-day records range from 2 inches in October to 16.4 inches in February, including 11.5 inches in November, 15 inches in December, 11.5 inches in March and 5.5 inches in April.
Dates when snow is most frequent
Days with measurable snowfall, at least 0.1 inch, follow a classic bell curve, increasing through December, peaking in midwinter, and tapering off in March. The most common date for measurable snow is Jan. 25, near the climatological coldest stretch of the season.
Heavier snowfall tends to peak a bit later but follows a similar pattern. The most frequent date for at least 1 inch of snow is Feb. 6, with Jan. 28 close behind. For daily totals of 3 inches or more, Feb. 7 ranks highest, followed by Jan. 28.
The biggest snowfalls are somewhat favored in late January to early February. While early February sees the greatest concentration of 6-inch-or-greater events, Jan. 22 stands out as the single most common date for storms of that magnitude.
Many of the largest storms span more than one calendar day, but these general patterns still hold.
When snow is most frequently on the ground
Snow depth follows a similar seasonal pattern, increasing through December, peaking in midwinter, and declining through March.
The peak tends to lag behind snowfall frequency. Snow can linger after storms, especially during the coldest stretch of winter when temperatures are lowest and the sun angle is weakest.
Days with at least 1 inch of snow on the ground are most common around Jan. 31, while 3-inch depths peak near Jan. 30. For deeper snowpacks of 6 inches or more, the most frequent dates cluster in late January and early February, including Jan. 28, Jan. 30 and Feb. 12.
At higher snow depths, the odds drop off quickly through February as the increasing sun angle and longer days accelerate melting. As a result, the deepest snow cover is typically confined to the heart of winter or shortly thereafter.
The greatest snow depth on record in D.C. is 34 inches, observed in February 1899. During the winter of 2009–2010, snow depth peaked at 21 inches on Feb. 11 following back-to-back major storms.
Extended stretches of snow cover are rare but do occur. In 1961, snow depth of at least 1 inch persisted for 29 consecutive days, ending Feb. 17 — the longest such streak on record. More recently, following the “snowcrete” event in late January 2026, snow depth of 2 inches or more lasted 18 days, the seventh-longest run at that level.
