The Christmas Heatwave That Turned Maryland Into a Tropical Paradise

Although white Christmases aren’t typical in Maryland, they aren’t typically sultry either. In fact, December in Maryland brings average temperatures in the 32° to 35° F range. Of course, weather isn’t unvarying, and anomalies happen all the time. While some of the state’s Christmases have been perfect for curling up in front of a roaring fire with a steaming cup of hot cocoa, others have been better spent sitting outdoors and soaking up the sun. In this article, we’ll delve into one particular Christmas heatwave that turned Maryland into a tropical paradise.

Maryland’s Hottest December on Record

Between 1893 and 2023, there have only been twelve instances in which Christmas brought any measurable snowfall to Maryland. As for temperatures, 1964 was the year that Christmas brought the gift of 72° weather. Despite 1964 having a record Christmas temperature, 2015 was the year that brought December average temperatures of 57.3° F. During the last month of that year, temperatures never dipped below 36° at night, with an average low of 40°.

Maryland’s Hottest Day in December

Christmas Day in 1964 was practically a heatwave with temperatures reaching 72° F. Yet, that wasn’t the highest December temperature in Maryland’s history. Actually, December 6 and 7 of 1998 both saw temperatures climb to 77°. That temperature was also reached on December 29, 1984, which happened to be the third-warmest December in Maryland’s history.

Maryland’s Warmest Winter on Record

Even though 1998 had two of the hottest December days on record, that wasn’t the year of the warmest winter for Maryland. The 1931-1932 winter season broke the winter weather record — that particular winter season had an average temperature of 45.3° F. The entire Mid-Atlantic region, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and other parts of the Northeast have all recorded that year as the warmest for at least a century.

What Does 2023 Look Like For Maryland?

It looks like a white Christmas for Maryland residents in 2023. December temperatures have been 3.5° above average, and snow has been scarce. Instead of gently falling snowflakes, people will see a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures in the 50s. Although it won’t be a tropical Christmas like 1964’s 72°, the day will be warmer than average.