Washington D.C. (KDCA) Temperature Market Guide

KDCA • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Kalshi IBKR Robinhood

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) offers a ForecastEx temperature market in the nation's capital. D.C. experiences hot, humid summers and variable winters with significant urban heat island effects.

Quick Facts

Station Code	`KDCA`
Location	Washington D.C., DC
Coordinates	38.8512°N, 77.0402°W
Elevation	15 ft (5 m)
Timezone	ET (America/New_York)
NWS Office	Baltimore/Washington (LWX)
Resolution Source	NWS CLI Report ↗

About the KDCA Weather Station

The KDCA ASOS is located at Reagan National Airport on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, directly across from downtown Washington D.C. At just 15 feet elevation, the station sits on the Coastal Plain adjacent to the tidal Potomac.

Washington D.C. Climate & Temperature Patterns

Washington D.C. experiences a humid subtropical climate (Koppen: Cfa) with hot, humid summers and variable winters.

Key Climate Factors:

Urban Heat Island: The dense D.C. metro creates significant urban heating.

Potomac River: The river provides modest temperature moderation.

Mid-Atlantic Position: D.C. sits at the transition between the Northeast and South.

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Seasonal Trading Considerations

Winter (December - February):
Variable with average highs in the low-to-mid 40s°F. Snowstorms are possible but inconsistent.

Spring (March - May):
Pleasant with famous cherry blossoms in late March/early April.

Summer (June - August):
Hot and humid with average highs in the upper 80s to low 90s°F. Heat waves are common.

Fall (September - November):
Pleasant with gradual cooling.

Washington D.C.-Specific Trading Tips

Urban Heat Island: Reagan National often runs 3-5°F warmer than Dulles Airport.

Heat Wave Patterns: Summer heat waves feature southwest flow with high humidity.

Snow Forecasting: D.C. area snow forecasting is notoriously difficult.

Potomac Moderation: The river provides modest moderation but less than true coastal locations.

Market Resolution Details

Washington D.C. temperature markets resolve based on the official high temperature in the NWS CLI for station KDCA, issued by the Baltimore/Washington forecast office (LWX).

Resolution Source: NWS CLI (Climatological Report)

Reporting Period: 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Note: This is Reagan National (KDCA), not Dulles (KIAD) or BWI.

Data Release Schedule

Typical release times for key data products at KDCA. Times shown in UTC.

Data Type	Typical Time (UTC)	Variability
CLI Report Daily climatological summary	07:28 UTC	±2 min
24hr High METAR with max temp	04:52 UTC	±1 min
METAR Hourly observations	Hourly at :52	±1 min
DSM #1 Daily summary message	21:12 UTC	Issuance time
DSM #2 Daily summary message	21:12 UTC	Issuance time
DSM #3 Daily summary message	21:11 UTC	Issuance time

6-Hour High/Low Reports

These METARs include 6-hour maximum and minimum temperatures, useful for tracking intraday temperature trends.

05:52 UTC

11:52 UTC

17:52 UTC

23:52 UTC

Note: Times are approximate and may vary. CLI reports are the official resolution source for temperature markets. See NWS Data Guide for more information.

Data Resources

Quick links to official data sources and tools for Washington D.C..

📊 NWS Data

🗄️ Iowa Environmental Mesonet

📈 Wethr.net Tools

Forecasting Challenges

Urban Heat Quantification: The urban heat island effect varies with conditions.

Precipitation Type: Winter precipitation type is extremely difficult to forecast for D.C.

Historical Temperature Records

Record High: 106°F recorded in July 1930.

Record Low: -5°F recorded in February 1899.

90°F+ Days: Washington D.C. averages about 35-40 days per year at or above 90°F.

📡 Official Data Sources

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