WASHINGTON — There's no other way to put it. The start of April was just too cold. It is spring after all, but quite frankly our weather emotions have been toyed with -- 70s one day then 50s the next few days. Cold mornings with temperatures in the 30s. Enough already!
The burning question is, "when are we going to consistently get some warm weather around here?" The answer is soon!
When we track the temperature trend in the extended forecast, D.C. will likely see above average temperatures between April 8 to April 14. The Climate Prediction Center shows a more than 50 percent probability of above average temperatures during that time frame.
What do above average temperatures mean?
Above average doesn't mean we're about to get 90s around here. While the extended forecast shows a good chance of above average temperatures, how much above has yet to be determined. For example, the average high for a day based on historical climate data could be 62 degrees, but we top out at 65 degrees. It's not much warmer, but it is above average.
The eight to 14 day outlook for precipitation indicates normal amounts are likely versus above or below average.
Here are the dates when the average highs typically start getting warmer:
March 27 the average high is 60 degrees.
April 25 the average high is 70 degrees.
May 31 the average high is 80 degrees.
Keep in mind that spring is a bit a of a transitional season for us in D.C. To really get the warmth to stick around we need the earth to tilt on its axis toward the sun.
This tilt of the earth is what causes our seasons. When the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, we have winter. When the tilt is toward the sun, we have summer. Think of it this way, you're standing near a heater and it keeps your face warm, but if you lean in and point your face toward the heater, you're even warmer.
By the way, summer starts Friday June, 21 at 11:54 a.m. Hang in there.
