For a time 15 to 20 years ago, snow lovers would refer to Dec. 5 as a day of destiny. That’s because between 2002 and 2009, snow fell in the D.C. area five times on this date. Considering snow isn’t particularly common in December on any day in D.C., it was indeed an odd coincidence for so many instances of Dec. 5 snow.
Here are the years it snowed on Dec. 5 in the 2000s and how much fell at Reagan National Airport:
- 2002: 6.1 inches
- 2003: Flurries (trace amounts)
- 2005: 1.4 inches
- 2007: 2.6 inches
- 2009: 0.2 inches
Since 2009, no flakes had fallen on this date until 2024 when Reagan National Airport reported light snow at 5:11 a.m. before precipitation changed to rain. Then, on Dec. 5, 2025, 1.1 inches fell.
Here are other notables for this day:
- Average high: 52
- Average low: 37
- Record high: 75 (2001)
- Record low: 14 (1886)
- Record precipitation: 1.72 inches (1993)
- Maximum snow: 6.1 inches (2002)
