January was the 3rd coldest and 4th driest January in the last 24-years. 
It was the coldest since 1994 which holds the record as the coldest. 
The lowest temperature was 5°F on the 10th that was the lowest minimum
 temperature to occur since February 5, 1996 when -2°F was recorded.  
The maximum on the 10th was only 18°F and the lowest maximum temperature
 in January since 1997.  
January had 17 days that the high temperature for the day didn’t climb
 above freezing; the previous 24 year record was 13 days in 1982. 
It was also the coldest day (daily mean) in January since January 20, 1994. 
Only four Januarys in the last 24-years have had a daily mean temperature
 lower than the 11.5°F mean of January 10th. 
January’s mean monthly temperature was 28.32 °F a departure of - 5.7°F.  
January had 26 days that the low temperature was freezing or below.  
Only six of the last 24 Januarys have had a greater number of days.  
       But on January 4th the temperature was 72°F and tied for second place
 as the warmest temperature in January in the last 24 years at this station. 
The record was 74°F set in 2002 and the monthly highest temperature averages
 only 63°F.
       The January rainfall had a -1.43 inch departure and was the driest
 month in the last 22 months but was still the cloudiest January since 1998.   
The total snowfall for January was 6.3 inches and was 1.9 inches less than
 the 24-year average which is 8.2 inches. 
There were eleven days with snow or flurries and 5 days with measurable snow
 but all were minor snows except the 5.0 inches of snow on the 25th and 26th.
The least temperature range for any day this January was 7 °F which is the 
highest for any January since 1981 and ties the record for the 24 year period.
The maximum gust of 40 mph from the west on the 28th at 1332 was the strongest
 wind gust recorded this month and caused blowing snow at the times of gust.

January had 1 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  Jan.  4
January had 4 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date. Jan. 24,26,30,31 
January had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date. 
January had 2 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.  Jan.   30, 31
January had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature record for the date.  Jan. 4
January had 0 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  
January had 0 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation records for the date.  
January had 0 daily HIGH 23-year snowfall records for the date.

February was a little drier and colder than average.  
The snowfall was the opposite of last February, the snowiest on record here, 
whereas this year only 0.1 inches of frozen precipitation occurred as sleet.
This is the least since 1990 when only a trace occurred.  
   The 2.59 inches of precipitation was a departure of - 0.47 inches. 
All of the precipitation fell in only four days; the previous least number 
of days on record was five days in 1987. 
The mean temperature departure for the month was - 1.5°F.
   The 16 % low relative humidity on the 29th was the lowest recorded
in February since 1990 when 13 % was recorded. We also went 17 days with
no precipitation which is a new 24 year record for February and
the driest period since 2001 ( October 17 - November 19 ) when we set 
the 24 year record of 34 days. 
     It was the eleventh coldest February in the last 24-years on record. 
The lowest temperature was 14°F on the 1st that was the lowest minimum 
temperature in February since 1996 other than the 14°F minimum of February
last year.  
February had 26 days with the minimum temperature at or below freezing 
that is the most since 1995 which also had 26 days.  
   This was the third clearest February in the last 23-years of records.
(No records in 1986) 
  The 1.66 inch rain on the 6th was the fourth greatest precipitation in
a calendar day ever recorded in February. 
      The maximum gust of 42 mph from the west on the 21st at 1400 was 
the strongest wind gust recorded this month.
      The maximum barometer reading of 30.62 inches on the 5th was the 
highest recorded in February since 2001 when 30.73 inches was recorded.
      The winter season (Dec. - Feb.) precipitation departure was only 
+0.60 inches but it was the fifth coldest winter on record here in the 
last 24-years with a -4.5°F temperature departure.   
Last year’s winter was the third coldest winter season.

February had 1 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  Feb. - 29
February had 0 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
February had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date. 
February had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.    
February had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature record for the date.  Feb. - 29
February had 0 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  
February had 1 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation record for the date.  Feb. - 6
February had 1 daily HIGH 24-year snowfall record for the date. Feb. - 5

      March was VERY dry and above average in temperature.  
 March’s mean monthly temperature was + 2.4 °F warmer than the average and the
  warmest since March 2000.  
 The March rainfall 2.25 inches was a -2.17 inch departure and the driest March 
  since 1987 when the total was only 1.98 inches. 
 We are now -4.07 inches below average in precipitation for 2004. 
 March was a little cloudier than average and had 13 days with some measurable 
  precipitation which is above the average of 11.6 days. 
 March had 13 days with the temperature at or below freezing which was average. 
 The lowest temperature was 23°F on the 23rd which was four degrees above the 
  average low minimum temperature.  
 The 23°F minimum the (lowest of the month) rose to the maximum of 78°F the 
  (highest of the month) on the 26th which was perceived by most as the end of 
   winter but March ended with cold, cloudy and damp weather.
 The 0.98 inches of rain on the 6th was the lowest maximum monthly for March 
  since 1987 and the fourth least calendar day rainfall amount for any March 
  in the last 24-years. 
 The record is 0.42 inches that occurred on March 31, 1987. 
 No thunder heard yet in 2004 and is only the second year without thunder by 
   the end of March since this observation was started in 1995. 
 The total snowfall for March was only a trace and was -3.0 inches less than
   the 24-year average.
 The lowest wind chill (new Scale) for the month was +13.3 °F on the 22nd 
  which also had the lowest dew point for the month of +5.4°F.
 The maximum gust of 38 mph from the WNW on the 7th at 1918 was the strongest
   wind gust recorded for March.

March DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
March had 5 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temps. records for the date. Mar. – 1, 2, 5, 6, 26 
March had 1 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  Mar. - 17
March had 4 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date. Mar. – 4, 5, 6, 26
March had 1 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature record for the date. Mar. - 23   
March had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature record for the date.  Mar. - 24
March had 1 daily LOW range 24-year temperature record for the date.   Mar. - 17
March had 1 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation record for the date.  Mar. - 16
March had 0 daily HIGH 24-year snowfall records for the date.  

April was the first month of the year with above average precipitation and was 
also a little above average in temperature.    
April’s mean monthly temperature of 56.0°F was + 0.6 °F warmer than the average.   
The occurrence of a 90°F maximum temperature on April 19th at 1412  was only the
 sixth time in the last 24 years that the maximum temperature was 90°F or above
 in the month of April. 
  April had some large temperature swings and on two days the minimum temperature
 went below freezing for the first time since 1997. 
We had a wind chill of 15.5°F and a dew point of 4.4 °F with a 29°F minimum 
temperature on April 5th.  
The average daily temperature range for April was only 18.9 °F which is the 
lowest for April since 1987 that holds the record at 18.1 °F. 
April rainfall of 5.03 inches was the fourth wettest April in the last 24
 years with a +1.60 inch departure from the average.  
Precipitation occurred on 14 days equaling the 24-year record for the greatest
 number of days with precipitation in April and the most since 1983. 
The maximum gust of 44 mph from the west on the 4th at 1320 was the 
strongest wind gust recorded for April since 1997. 
The maximum lowest barometric pressure was 29.46 inches on the 1st of April
 that was the lowest pressure recorded in April since 1999. 
 The first thunderstorm of the year occurred on April 23rd and was the latest
 first thunderstorm of the year since thunder records were started at this 
station in 1995. 

April DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
April had 0 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
April had 4 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date. April 1, 4, 12, 13
April had 3 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.  April 19, 20, 24
April had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.     
April had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature record for the date.  April 17
April had 4 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  April 1, 2, 12, 14
April had 1 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation record for the date.  April 12
April had 0 daily HIGH 24-year snowfall records for the date.  

May was very warm and below average in precipitation.  
May’s mean monthly temperature was 70.9°F which was the second warmest May
 here in the last 24 years; only May 1991 was warmer (71.1°F).  
This year we had 15 days that  the maximum temperature was 85°F or above;
 last year our highest May temperature was only 83°F.  Remember May 2003 
was the coolest May on record with the lowest mean monthly temperature on record.
May had 16 days of measurable rain and only May 2003 had more in the last 24 years.
So it is surprising that May had a deficit of almost one inch (- 0.99) of rainfall.   
  May’s average maximum temperature (80.9°F) was + 5.9°F above the average
 and the minimum temperature (60.9°F) was +6.8°F above the 24-year average.  
May’s highest temperature was 92°F on May 23rd which was a +2°F departure. 
The highest minimum temperature in May was 72°F on the 23rd which was the
 highest recorded in May since 1991 and was the third warmest May night in
 the last 24-years. The other two warmer nights occurred in May 1991.
  The first thunderstorm of the year occurred on April 23rd and was the
 latest first thunderstorm of the year since thunder records were started
 at this station in 1995 but May made up for the lack of thunder as thunder
 was recorded on 14 days.  The only severe thunderstorm was on the 25th that
 gave pea size hail for 2-3 minutes.
   The maximum gust of 28 mph from the WNW on the 3rd at 0032 was the
 strongest wind gust recorded for May.
  May set 20 daily records and 17 were for high temperature records.

May DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
May had 6 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  May – 10, 12, 15, 22, 23, 24
May had 1 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  May – 3
May had 11 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date. May – 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16,
 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
May had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.     
May had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature records for the date.   May – 9
May had 1 daily LOW range 24-year temperature record for the date.  May – 30 
May had 0 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation records for the date.   

      June was wet and a little on the cool side. 
June’s mean average temperature (72.3°F) was the eighth coolest in the last 24 years
 with a - 1.1 °F departure from average.  
The 5.74 inches of rain made it the fifth wettest June with a +2.23 inch departure. 
Last year was the fourth wettest June on record. 
June had 13 days with measurable rain and two days with more than an inch.  
Two inches of rain fell on the 5th, the largest June rainfall since June 1998.  
On June 17th 0.43 inches of rain fell in five minutes; this was the most intense 
five minute rain since 9-2-2000 when 0.47 inches was recorded in five minutes.
      June had only 3 days with 90°F or above temperatures the least since 1995.  
The highest temperature here so far this year is only 92°F that occurred on May 
23rd and June 17th. This is the latest in the year we have gone with 92°F or 
less since 1992.   In the last 24 years by the end of June we have had a maximum
 of 93°F or higher temperature except for three years in the last 24 years. 
(1982, 1983, 1992)  
      The maximum gust of 40 mph from the west on the 1st at 1507 was the strongest
 wind gust recorded for June in the last 24-years.  One large poplar tree, oval at
 the base measuring 52 inches maximum diameter and 42 inches minimum diameter damaged
 by Isabel last September, was split from top to bottom.  The downburst carried the
 section split from the tree into his neighbor’s yard and four limbs of the tree hit
 the roof of his neighbor’s and made two holes in his roof. His house is located two 
houses down on the same side of the street as mine.  The gust that hit the poplar
 tree was thought to be stronger than what the anemometer recorded at my house 
which is approximately 30 feet above the ground.

There were 6 daily records set!
June DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
June had 1 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  June – 17
June had 1 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  June – 5  
June had 1 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature record for the date.  June – 18
June had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.     
June had 0 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature records for the date.   
June had 1 daily LOW range 24-year temperature record for the date.  June – 5
June had 2 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation records for the date.  June – 5, 11

July was a little below average in rainfall and near average in temperature with no
 really hot days although high humidity gave high dew point temperatures.  
July’s mean average temperature (77.6°F) was only - 0.1°F departure.  
July had 11 days with measurable rain which was average but had a rainfall departure
 of - 0.81 inches.  The rainfall totals over the area varied widely with some 
particularly high totals in NE Maryland.
     July’s average sky cover makes it normally the clearest month of the year but
 this month was the cloudiest July on my records and the third cloudiest month of 2004
 lowering the temperature ranges and reducing the number of equal to or greater than
 90°F days.
        July had only 9 days with 90°F or above temperatures and in 2002 we had 20 days.
 Both July of 2003 and 2004 had a small number of equal to or greater than 90°F days. 
This year had 16 days of equal to or greater than 90°F and last year had but 12 days
 which was a record low number going back to 1992. Only one July in the last 24-years
 has the maximum temperature for July been less than 92°F; that occurred in 2000 when
 91°F was the maximum for the month.  The maximum temperature for 2004 is still 92°F
 and is the first time in the last 24 years we have gone this long in the summer without
 a 93°F or hotter day.  The previous latest date was July 9, 1992.
        July’s average temperature range was only 17.4°F the least since 1996 except
 for last year and only four years have been lower in the last 24-years.  
The lowest daily temperature range for the month was only 4°F that occurred on the 25th;
 the 24 year-record is 3°F that occurred on July 13, 1989.
      The maximum wind gust for July was only 27 mph from the WNW on the 14th at 1500.  
      July had only one daily temperature and precipitation record for the month which
 is the least recorded since these observations were started in November of 2001.  
The previous low record was four.

There was only 1 daily record set!
Jul. had 0 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temp. records for the date. July  
Jul. had 0 daily LOW maximum 24-year temp. records for the date. July  
Jul. had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temp. records for the date. July 
Jul. had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temp. records for the date. July 
Jul. had 0 daily HIGH range 24-year temp. records for the date. July 
Jul. had 1 daily LOW range 24-year temp. record for the date. July   25  
Jul. had 0 daily HIGH 24-year precip. records for the date.  July

    August was very humid, but cooler than average and the fourth wettest in the
 last 24-years with thirteen days with measurable rain (the 24 year record is fourteen)
 and cloudier than average.
 The most exciting event of the month was the hail in a thunderstorm of the 11th.
 I have never observed such large hail in my life!
 We had hail stones as large as 2.5 x 3.0 inches (the average size was around 2 inches).
 They were conglomerates and far from being spherical.
 The maximum wind hit 50 mph at 1606 from the west.
 Quarter size hail started around 1610 and was followed by large hail for
 about one or two minutes around 1616 and the storm was over in around 20 minutes. 
 It did put some dents in our car top. 
 We were lucky there wasn't much of the large hail and it didn't last long.
 Total rainfall from storm was 0.93 inches and we had 0.38 inches in 5 minutes.
 Maximum rain rate was 11.08 inches per hour at 1607. 
 Rainfall at this rate lasted less than one minute but a new record rate on
 Davis Vantage Pro instrument.
     August’s mean average temperature was (74.1°F) that was only a - 1.3 °F
 departure and was the coolest August since 2000.
 The 5.38 inches of rain for August was a +2.02 inch departure and the wettest
 August since 1994 with 92% of the rain falling in the first 14 days.
 The high humidity and high dew point temperatures made August feel warmer
 than it really was.
     August had only 2 days with 90°F for the maximum temperature.
 The total of equal to or greater than 90°F is now only 18 days for 2004;
 the low record is 12 days that occurred in 1992. 
 The highest temperature for 2004 here so far is only 92°F. 
 If September’s maximum isn’t above 92°F, this summer will have the lowest
 annual maximum temperature ever recorded at this station in the last 24 years. 
    The 0.38 inches of rain that occurred in five minutes on the 11th was the
 second most intense five minute rainfall to occur in August.
 The August record is 0.39 inches on 8-28-1992 occurring in five minutes.
 (Rain intensity records since 1991)
      The maximum wind gust of 50 mph from the west occurred on the 11th at
 1606 in the hail storm.
 It was the strongest wind we have ever recorded here for August; the old
 record was 37 mph in 1987.
    The average temperature for the summer season of June, July, and August
 was 74.7°F for a -0.9°F departure. 
 The summer was the sixth wettest in the last 24 years with a total of 14.55
 inches for the season.
 The 24- year record is 17.19 inches in 2000.

August had 0 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
August had 2 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  August 5, 14
August had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
August had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
August had 0 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature records for the date.  
August had 2 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  August 5, 14
August had 3 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation records for the date.  August – 1, 12, 21 

September was warmer than average and near average in rainfall with above
 average humidity and cloudiness.   
Only seven years of the last 24 years had more days with measurable rain.    
The maximum temperature for September was 82°F on the 13th, 22nd, and 23rd
 which was a -6.5°F departure.  
This is the lowest maximum temperature ever recorded for September in the
 last 24 years except for 1992 when 82°F was also recorded.  
Only three years in the last 24 years have we had a September maximum 
temperature that wasn’t at least 85°F.  
September’s mean average temperature however was 69.0°F which was a 
+ 1.3°F departure.  
The average maximum temperature had a departure of +0.4°F and the average
 minimum had a departure of +2.2°F.  
The higher than average cloud cover and humidity of September made the 
nights warmer and the days cooler.
The highest mean daily temperature for September was 74.5°F on the 8th
 and 17th which was the lowest maximum daily mean temperature ever recorded
 for September in the last 24 years. 
The previous record was 75.0°F recorded in 2001.
(The highest temperature for 2004 is only 92°F on July 5th and July 14th.  
This is the lowest maximum ever recorded in the 24 years of records at
 this station).  
September’s average temperature range was 15.3°F the eighth lowest in the
 last 24-years due to the cloudiness and humid conditions of this September.  
The maximum wind gust of 30 mph from the west occurred on the 18th at 1454.  
It is interesting that this is the same day Isabel gave us 41 mph winds last year!
The lowest barometer was 29.52 inches which was recorded as the remnants
 of Hurricane Ivan passed to our south on the 18th.  
The highest barometer 30.43 inches occurred on the 20th and was the highest
 recorded in September since 2000.
       We had the remnants of three hurricanes pass Virginia this month Frances,
 Ivan, and Jeanne but only Jeanne set a record at this station for the most rain
 for September 28th in the last 24 years.

September DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
September had 0 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
September had 0 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  
September had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.   
September had 1 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature record for the date.  September – 20 
September had 0 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature records for the date.   
September had 1 daily LOW range 24-year temperature record for the date.  September – 15
September had 1 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation record for the date.  September – 28 

October was dry and slightly cooler than average with a monthly mean temperature
 of 55.7°F a -0.3°F departure. 
The total precipitation was 1.38 inches the least since 2001 and a – 2.00 inch
 departure.   
In the last 24-years, only three Octobers have been drier. However eleven days
 had measurable rain.  
In the last 24-years only four Octobers have had more days of measurable rain. 
This dichotomy plus the fact that 70% of the rainfall occurred from the 15th -
 31st gave the impression that it wasn’t a dry month.   
 October’s average cloud cover was less than September but was still the third
 cloudiest October in the last 24-years with October 2002 holding the record for
 the cloudiest. 
The temperature range on the 20th was only 1°F during the day and set a new 24 
year record as the lowest temperature range recorded at this station in October.
 The old record was 3°F in 2002. It is also the first time in the last 24 years
 to have a 1°F daily temperature range for any of the months of the year.  
The average daily temperature range was only 14.9°F and was the second lowest 
ever recorded for October. 
The lowest was 13.0°F in 2002.
 The average daily maximum temperature had a departure of -1.8°F and the average
 minimum daily temperature had a departure of +1.1°F.  
The higher than average cloud cover and humidity of October made the nights warmer
 and the days cooler which was also true of September.
 The maximum wind gust of 24 mph occurred on three dates the 16th, 17th, 31st and
 October had the least total wind run (605 miles) since I started keeping this
 data for the last three years.
   The lowest barometer was 29.38 inches on the 15th which was the lowest barometer
 recorded in October since October 1980 except for last year which was 0.01 inches
 lower on the same date.  
The 30.48 inches recorded on the 6th and 7th was the highest barometer in October
 since 2001 when 30.69 inches was recorded.

October DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
October had 1 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  October – 31
October had 2 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.  October – 21, 24
October had 2 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.   October – 30, 31
October had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.    
October had 0 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature records for the date.   
October had 3 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  October – 20, 21, 29
October had 0 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation records for the date. 

November 2004
   November was warmer than average with a monthly mean temperature of 49.0°F a +2.0°F departure;
only seven Novembers in the last 24-years have been warmer. 
   November was above average in rainfall for the month with a +2.02 inch departure.
In the last 24-years only nine Novembers have been wetter. 
Thirteen days had measurable rain;only 1968 had more rainfall days in November.
The 2.19 inches on the 12th was the most in a calendar day in November since November 1997
and the fourth greatest calendar day rainfall for November in the last 24 years and
of course a new 24 year maximum precipitation record for the date.
    The monthly mean temperature was 49.0°F which was a departure of +2.0°F.
Only eight Novembers in the past 24 years have a higher mean monthly average temperature.  
   The maximum wind gust of 48 mph from the WNW occurred on the 25th at 1329 associated
with a deep low pressure and its associated cold front passage.  
This is the second highest wind recorded in November in the last 24 years; only last year
had a higher wind gust in November.
   The highest barometer for the month was 30.80 inches on the 14th and was the highest
reading since Jan. 31, 1999. 
It was also the highest barometer recorded in November since 1996 and the second highest 
pressure ever recorded in November at Annandale Weather Center.  
(The record is 30.81 inches in 1996.)  
   The lowest barometer was 29.35 inches on the 25th which was the lowest barometer recorded
in November since 1999 and the fifth lowest pressure recorded in November in the last 24 years.
This low also was associated with the highest wind gust of the month.  

November DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (24-Years of records)
November had 1 daily HIGH maximum 24-year temperature record for the date.  November – 18
November had 0 daily LOW maximum 24-year temperature records for the date.   
November had 0 daily HIGH minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.    
November had 0 daily LOW minimum 24-year temperature records for the date.   
November had 1 daily HIGH range 24-year temperature record for the date.   November – 25
November had 4 daily LOW range 24-year temperature records for the date.  November – 4, 20, 22, 23
November had 1 daily HIGH 24-year precipitation record  for the date.  November – 12