Potomac Park, MD climate
Potomac Park has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Potomac Park feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Potomac Park weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 23° | 2.7" | 8.2" | 13 | 11 | 23° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 24° | 2.4" | 7.7" | 11 | 10 | 24° – 43° |
| March | 53° | 30° | 3.3" | 6.8" | 12 | 5 | 36° – 52° |
| April | 67° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| May | 76° | 49° | 4.3" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| June | 84° | 58° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 88° | 62° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| September | 79° | 53° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| October | 68° | 42° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| November | 55° | 33° | 2.6" | 0.5" | 9 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| December | 44° | 26° | 3.0" | 5.4" | 11 | 7 | 25° – 45° |
| Year | 65° | 42° | 39.9" | 28.7" | 136 | 33 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Potomac Park
Potomac Park gets 40 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 136 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 33 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Potomac Park
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Potomac Park, 83% of that work is heating and 17% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Potomac Park and its neighbors
Potomac Park borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Bowling Green has both the coldest January nights (22°) and the hottest July afternoons (87°). Potomac Park’s January low is 23° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Potomac Park compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Potomac Park averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Potomac Park’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 24° to 43°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Potomac Park’s climate
What is the coldest month in Potomac Park?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Potomac Park?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 62°. About 37 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Potomac Park get?
About 29 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Potomac Park?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Potomac Park?
May, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Potomac Park itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cumberland 2, MD (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.