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Do not fill this in! === Climate === {{See also|Climate change in Washington, D.C.}} [[File:Francis Scott Key Bridge at the Washington DC USA river bank February 2004.jpg|thumb|[[Key Bridge (Washington, D.C.)|Key Bridge]] (background) and an iced-over [[Potomac River]] (foreground) in February 2004]] Washington's climate is [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfa''), or [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]] ([[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Do'' bordering ''Cf'' downtown).<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/files/40083/metz_Vol_15_No_3_p259-263_World_Map_of_the_Koppen_Geiger_climate_classification_updated_55034.pdf |title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated |journal=Meteorologische Zeitschrift |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=259 |date=November 6, 2008 |access-date=December 3, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224195637/https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/40083/file/metz_Vol_15_No_3_p259-263_World_Map_of_the_Koppen_Geiger_climate_classification_updated_55034.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |bibcode=2006MetZe..15..259K |last1=Kottek |first1=Markus |last2=Grieser |first2=Jürgen |last3=Beck |first3=Christoph |last4=Rudolf |first4=Bruno |last5=Rubel |first5=Franz |doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Peterson |first=Adam |title=English: Trewartha climate types for the contiguous United States |date=September 22, 2016 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_trewartha.svg |access-date=March 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330195901/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_trewartha.svg |url-status=live |archive-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref> Winters are cool to cold with some snow of varying intensity, while summers are hot and humid. The district is in plant [[hardiness zone]] 8a near downtown, and zone 7b elsewhere in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm |title=Hardiness Zones |year=2006 |publisher=Arbor Day Foundation |access-date=November 4, 2008 |archive-date=June 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629141838/https://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WaPo temps">{{cite news |last1=Samenow |first1=Jason |title=D.C.-area forecast: Temperatures seesaw this week between mild and cool, while extreme winter weather stays away |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/02/17/dc-area-forecast-temperatures-seesaw-this-week-between-mild-cool-while-extreme-winter-weather-stays-away/ |access-date=September 4, 2020 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=February 17, 2020 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809181652/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/02/17/dc-area-forecast-temperatures-seesaw-this-week-between-mild-cool-while-extreme-winter-weather-stays-away/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average of {{convert|79.8|°F|1}} and average daily relative humidity around 66%, which can cause moderate personal discomfort. Heat indices regularly approach {{convert|100|°F|°C|0}} at the height of summer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Average Conditions: Washington DC, USA |work=BBC Weather |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/about/newsid_9390000/9390415.stm?tt=TT001140 |access-date=August 30, 2010 |archive-date=October 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030134530/http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/about/newsid_9390000/9390415.stm?tt=TT001140 |url-status=live }}</ref> The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area.<ref>{{cite web |last=Iovino |first=Jim |title=Severe Storm Warnings, Tornado Watches Expire |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/weather/stories/Cold-Front-Could-Bring-Storms-Today-95721304.html |work=NBCWashington.com |date=June 6, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2010 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514174511/http://www.nbcwashington.com/weather/stories/Cold-Front-Could-Bring-Storms-Today-95721304.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Blizzards affect Washington once every four to six years on average. The most violent storms, known as [[nor'easter]]s, often impact large regions of the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]].<ref name=dcwinter>{{cite web |url=http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/winter/DC-Winters.htm |title=Washington Area Winters |access-date=September 17, 2010 |last=Watson |first=Barbara McNaught |date=November 17, 1999 |publisher=National Weather Service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231041158/http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/winter/DC-Winters.htm |archive-date=December 31, 2010}}</ref> From [[Knickerbocker storm|January 27 to 28, 1922]], the city officially received {{convert|28|in|cm}} of snowfall, the largest snowstorm since official measurements began in 1885.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/23/where-snowzilla-fits-into-d-c-s-top-10-snowstorms/ |title=Where Snowzilla fits into D.C.'s top 10 snowstorms |last1=Ambrose |first1=Kevin |last2=Junker |first2=Wes |date=January 23, 2016 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |access-date=May 13, 2016 |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508031823/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/23/where-snowzilla-fits-into-d-c-s-top-10-snowstorms/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to notes kept at the time, the city received between {{convert|30|and|36|in|cm}} from a snowstorm in January 1772.<ref name=DOC>{{cite web |publisher=The Weather Doctor |url=http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/events/wjsnow1772.htm |title=The Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm of 1772 |first=Keith C. |last=Heidorn |date=January 1, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2016 |archive-date=January 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124234846/http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/events/wjsnow1772.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Hurricanes or their remnants occasionally impact the area in late summer and early fall. However, they usually are weak by the time they reach Washington, partly due to the city's inland location.<ref>{{cite book |last=Schwartz |first=Rick |title=Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States |year=2007 |publisher=Blue Diamond Books |isbn=978-0-9786280-0-0 |page=9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t5U1CYKwQxcC |access-date=June 16, 2015 |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906000512/https://books.google.com/books?id=t5U1CYKwQxcC |url-status=live }}</ref> Flooding of the [[Potomac River]], however, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in the [[Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)|Georgetown]] neighborhood of the city.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vogel |first=Steve |title=Bulk of Flooding Expected in Old Town, Washington Harbour |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062701527.html |date=June 28, 2006 |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=B02 |access-date=July 11, 2008 |archive-date=October 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014050903/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062701527.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Precipitation occurs throughout the year.<ref name="WMO 1961–90 KDCA" /> The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|106|F|0}} on August 6, 1918, and on July 20, 1930.<ref name="Samenow">{{cite news |title=Washington, D.C. shatters all-time June record high, sizzles to 104 |first=Jason |last=Samenow |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 29, 2012 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/washington-dc-ties-record-high-of-101/2012/06/29/gJQAiiRmBW_blog.html |access-date=November 29, 2015 |archive-date=December 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209173449/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/washington-dc-ties-record-high-of-101/2012/06/29/gJQAiiRmBW_blog.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|−15|F|0}} on [[Great Blizzard of 1899#Arctic cold|February 11, 1899]], right before the [[Great Blizzard of 1899]].<ref name="dcwinter" /> During a typical year, the city averages about 37 days at or above {{convert|90|F|0}} and 64 nights at or below the freezing mark ({{convert|32|F|C|disp=or}}).<ref name="NWS Baltimore/Washington (LWX)" /> On average, the first day with a minimum at or below freezing is November 18 and the last day is March 27.<ref>Grieser, Justin; Livingston, Ian (November 8, 2017). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/11/08/the-falls-first-freeze-is-coming-saturday-and-for-most-of-the-d-c-area-its-historically-late/ The first freeze is coming Saturday and, for most of the D.C. area, it's historically late] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528215039/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/11/08/the-falls-first-freeze-is-coming-saturday-and-for-most-of-the-d-c-area-its-historically-late/ |date=May 28, 2018 }}". ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>Livingston, Ian; Grieser, Justin (April 3, 2018). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/04/03/when-will-the-last-freeze-happen-around-the-d-c-region-and-when-is-it-safe-to-plant/ When will the last freeze happen around the D.C. region, and when is it safe to plant?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404044955/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/04/03/when-will-the-last-freeze-happen-around-the-d-c-region-and-when-is-it-safe-to-plant/ |date=April 4, 2018 }}" ''The Washington Post''.</ref> {{Clear}} {{Washington, D.C. weatherbox}} {{Graph:Weather monthly history<!--Edit on Commons--> | table=ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Washington, D.C..tab | title=Washington, D.C. weather }} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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