It’s a record few Washingtonians really wanted to break: 54.9 inches of snow has now fallen at Reagan National Airport. That’s an all-time record. WOO HOO!
Setting aside the usual dispute between snow lovers and those who are happy to live life without the snow, there’s a controversy to this record that is unique to this area. Reagan National Airport isn’t in Washington, DC. The airport is on the banks of the Potomac River but is actually in Virginia and that distinction is one that really sticks with some people.
Last weekend’s blast of snow resulted in an official tally of 18.4 inches at the airport. But most (unofficial) measurements from Washington D.C. proper, just a few miles from the airport, were well in excess of 20 inches. Why the difference? Some say the airport’s river location tends to reduce the snow tally. Others point to a warmer air flow along the river that typically comes from the south.