Drought in District of Columbia

Events

11

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Damage

$5,000

• Drought in District of Columbia, December 1 to 31, 19981 eventThis was the sixth month in a row that drought conditions were seen across the Washington D.C. area. Persistent high pressure over the Southeast U.S. forced most precipitation producing low pressure systems to steer north of the region.
• Drought in District of Columbia, August 1 to 31, 1998$5,000 · 1 eventPersistent high pressure produced unusually dry conditions during the entire month. Only 0.59 inches of rain fell at Washington/National Airport - compared to the normal of 3.91 inches. The National Arboretum in Northeast Washington was hardest hit by the drought.
• Drought in District of Columbia, November 1 to 30, 19981 eventThis was the fifth month in a row that drought conditions were seen across the Washington D.C. area. Persistent high pressure over the Southeast U.S. forced most rain producing low pressure systems to steer north of the region.
• Drought in District of Columbia, October 1 to 31, 19981 eventPersistent high pressure over the Southeast U.S. forced most rain producing low pressure centers to steer north of the region during the month. This resulted in unusually dry weather for the District of Columbia, creating the fourth straight month of drought conditions.
• Drought in District of Columbia, May 1 to 31, 19991 eventHigh pressure was the dominant weather feature across the Washington D.C. metropolitan area during the month. This weather pattern directed rain producing low pressure systems north of the area and continued the climatological drought that has gripped the area since last summer.
• Drought in District of Columbia, August 1 to 31, 19991 eventHigh pressure was the dominant weather feature across the Washington D.C. metropolitan area through the 24th of August. Most rain producing storm systems steered north of the region through the period.
• Drought in District of Columbia, July 1 to 31, 19991 eventHigh pressure was the dominant weather feature during the month. This forced most rain producing storm systems to steer north of the area and resulted in the continuation of the climatological, meteorological, and hydrological drought that has plagued the region since last…
• Drought in District of Columbia, September 1 to 17, 19991 eventRainfall from two land falling hurricanes finally ended the drought that plagued the Washington area since the summer of 1998. Washington Reagan National Airport reported a rainfall total of 10.27 inches for September, 6.96 inches above normal.
• Drought in District of Columbia, June 1 to 30, 19991 eventHigh pressure was the dominant weather feature across the Washington D.C. metropolitan area during the month.
• Drought in District of Columbia, October 1 to 30, 20071 eventSevere Drought conditions persisted through October. In early October, rainfall deficits totaled nearly 10 inches. However, a series of low pressure systems late in the month brought between 3 and 6 inches of rainfall to slightly reduce those deficits.
• Drought in District of Columbia, August 1 to 21, 20071 eventWashington DC experienced severe agricultural drought conditions from August 1st through August 21st. Using a combination of rainfall measurements and radar precipitation estimates, some locations averaged rainfall totals as high as 6 inches below normal.

Drought everywhereEvery kind of event in District of Columbia

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.