Washington DC might not get anywhere near as much snow as areas farther north, but a decent snowfall has a way of turning the city's landmarks into a winter wonderland.
When we get big snowfalls they tend to be in January in February. The biggest snowstorm on record, known as the Knickerbocker Storm, was in late-January 1922. More recently, some of the biggest have come in late-January 2016 (dubbed by locals as Snowzilla), and double-whammy winter storms just before Christmas in 2009 (Snowpocalypse) and followed about six weeks later by an even bigger storm in early February 2010 (Snowmageddon).
Due to a confluence of factors, including that the DC area doesn't have the infrastructure and snow budgets of some snowier regions, as well as a large portion of the very large population relying on above-ground transportation on roads and rail, even relatively minor snowstorms can have a crippling effect.
But there's also a lot of open space for large blankets of snow to form and frame the area's famous landmarks.
Photos of Washington DC in the Snow
Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Arlington National Cemetery.
Some of the famous old cherry trees by the Tidal Basin.
Cross-country skiing on the National Mall by the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The Tidal Basin frozen over, with the Jefferson Memorial in the distance.
Looking north along 15th Street NW in northwest DC next to the Treasury Building.
Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. It was about 20° Fahrenheit at the time (approx. -7 Celsius).
White House Christmas Tree.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool while it was undergoing repairs.
Tourists dealing with the frigid temperatures. Taken along Independence Avenue between the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the DC World War I Memorial.
The DC World War One Memorial. This was before some renovations that cleared out some of the trees and bushes from the immediate area around the memorial.
Constitution Gardens.
The Potomac frozen over, looking past Arlington Memorial Bridge to Rosslyn.
The Potomac, with Arlington Memorial Bridge in the distance.
National World War Two Memorial.
Outside the White House.
The MLK Memorial.
The Lincoln Memorial.
Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Lincoln Memorial.
At the Tidal Basin leading into the FDR Memorial.
JFK Hockey Fields (between Reflecting Pool and the Korean War Veterans Memorial).
Washington DC Visitor Guides
If you're coming in from out of town, here are some of the most popular guidebooks that can help you make the most of your visit.
- Stephan Van Dam;Illustrator;Editor
- Publisher: VanDam, Inc
- Elise Hartman Ford
- Publisher: FrommerMedia
- Fodor s Washington D C with Mount Vernon Alexandria Annapolis Full color Travel Guide
- Fodor's Travel Guides
- DK Travel
- Publisher: DK Eyewitness Travel
And here are some interesting options for less traditional guidesbooks if you'd like an emphasis on exploring DC on foot or diving into some of the region's very rich history.
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
- Barbara Noe Kennedy
- Alison Fortier
- Publisher: The History Press