Washington, DC weather in April
In April, Washington sees highs around 68°F and lows around 48°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 11 days with rain. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 68°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How April changes from start to finish
| April 1 | April 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 62°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 53°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:52 am / 7:31 pm | 6:11 am / 7:59 pm |
| Daylight | 12.7 h | 13.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical April day
- 6 am51°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 42°F
- Noon62°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 42°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 43% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 30
Average days per April, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in April
Normal precipitation is 3.2 in; a dry April brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How April varies from year to year
- Warmest April, 1991-20202017: average high 73°F
- Coolest April2007: average high 63°F
- Wettest April2014: 6.5 in
- Driest April1991: 1.4 in
- Highest reading95°F (April 17, 2002)
- Lowest reading28°F (April 10, 1997)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
April compared with March and May
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 57°F | 68°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 48°F | 58°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 14 | 14 |
| Daylight | 12.0 h | 13.2 h | 14.3 h |
Highs change by +11°F from March and +9°F into May.
Nearby alternatives in April
- Drier: Nags Head, NC217 mi · high 68°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Gettysburg, PA65 mi · high 62°F · 12 wet days
How Washington ranks in April
- Normal high195th warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days249th driest of 378
- Comfortable days115th most of 340
What to pack for Washington in April
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
April has 236 heating degree days and 32 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Washington in April?
The normal high is 68°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest April reading was 28°F (April 10, 1997).
Does it rain a lot in Washington in April?
About 11 days in April have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.2 in. The wettest April in 1991-2020 was in 2014 (6.5 in); the driest was in 1991 (1.4 in).
Is April a good time to visit Washington?
April ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (69 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.