Dave Dildine, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Washington’s snow drought continues to have many area residents wondering whether this season will be as snowless as last winter.
Warm temperatures and mild weather will likely keep snow-lovers waiting through at least the middle of the month.
Washington averages 15.4 inches of snow per season. Normally by Jan. 1, about 3 inches of snow has fallen. So far this winter, measurable snow has not been observed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Last year, only 2 inches of snow was recorded for the entire season.
Since 1887, Washington has experienced six winters during which fewer than 3 inches of snow fell. Since record-keeping began, two winters saw only a trace of snow.
Over the past 20 Washington winters, 16 have featured below-average snowfall. The outliers, however, have been blockbuster winters boasting snow totals well above average thanks to powerful storms.
During the 2009-2010 winter, a barrage of nor’easters and record-breaking snowstorms led to four times the normal seasonal snowfall. According to the National Weather Service, Washington experiences a 12-inch-or-more snowstorm about once every eight years.
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