The devastating 1922 Knickerbocker storm buried the city under a record 21 inches of snow, its relentless intensity leading to a deadly theater roof collapse and the worst disaster in Washington’s history.
A legendary 1772 snowstorm—chronicled by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—dumped around three feet across the region, making it one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most remarkable early events.
Record-shattering warmth last year pushed temperatures to 80 degrees—the earliest such reading on record—while the date also recalls 2011’s infamous “Commutageddon” snowstorm that stranded thousands.
A surprise 2000 snowstorm dumped over 9 inches in the city and up to 18 inches regionally after forecasts missed it, while a 2026 event brought “snowcrete” that lingered for weeks amid intense cold.
The epic 2016 “Snowzilla” blizzard delivered over a foot in a day and nearly 18 inches total in the city—more than 30 inches in some suburbs—ranking among the region’s all-time great storms.
A 2014 storm set a daily snowfall record in the city while heavier totals piled up to the north and west as temperatures dropped and snow turned powdery.
