Maryland ยท season guide
Sledding season in Washington, DC area
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Washington Reagan Natl Airport weather station show December as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (1.7 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
Unusually, March (2 inches) averages more snow than December (1.7 inches), so the season runs late.
Across a normal year the station records about 13.7 inches of snow. That puts Washington, DC area at 96 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Expect a short window. About 10 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground, so the morning after a storm counts.
For comparison, Baltimore, the nearest metro on our list, averages 19.3 inches, more than here.
11 of the 19 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page.
Month by month
| Month | Average snowfall | Days with 1 inch or more of new snow | Days with 1 inch or more on the ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.1 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 1.7 inches | 0.5 | 1.1 |
| January | 4.9 inches | 1.3 | 3.5 |
| February | 5 inches | 1.3 | 4.2 |
| March | 2 inches | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| April | 0 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00013743. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Washington, DC area mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
We didn't find a city-wide sledding rule for Washington, DC area in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Washington, DC area?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Washington Reagan Natl Airport station, December is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Washington, DC area get in a year?
About 13.7 inches a year at the Washington Reagan Natl Airport station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Washington, DC area?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated