A day after Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, the D.C. area experienced some record-breaking temperatures for February.
A record high of 67 degrees was set at Dulles International Airport, breaking the record of 66 degrees set in 1991. BWI Marshall Airport saw a record high of 67, breaking the 66-degree record set in 1932. The National Weather Service tweeted out the numbers Monday afternoon.
Responding to a user on Twitter who asked why Reagan National didn’t break its 65-degree record from 1927, the weather service said, “(The) wind off the Potomac is keeping it cooler there.”
Though it’s not expected to be as warm as Monday, Tuesday should be comfortable until the rain comes.
Very mild tonight with lows staying well above normal. A bit of rain will likely keep temperatures on Tuesday a bit below today’s readings, but it will remain very mild. pic.twitter.com/or7dqO0JNO
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) February 4, 2020
“Overnight lows will be close to our seasonable daytime highs,” said Storm Team 4 meteorologist Matt Ritter. “But with clouds sticking around on Tuesday, also, it won’t get much warmer than those overnight lows; still, that will mean temperatures well above normal. As a strong cold front slides toward us, a few light showers or some areas of drizzle will move through.”
Then, Ritter said, things get interesting on Wednesday, depending on where you are.
“Most of us, including close to Washington, will be in the upper 40s to low 50s, whereas far northern Maryland may barely get above 40,” he said. “South of the front, estimated right now to be close to I-64, will still be close to 60.”
Because of that, those details will become more apparent closer to the middle of the week.
“More rain will move through on Thursday but the front will likely meander back north leading to milder temperatures again for more of us,” Ritter said. “The early outlook for Friday is for yet another rainy day.”
