Prepare to freeze at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
It’s forecasted to be the coldest Inauguration Day since former President Ronald Reagan’s second swearing-in ceremony in 1985 (temperature: A cool 7 degrees). The weather is expected to peak in the mid-20s (very cold!) and dip as low as 10 degrees (very very cold!) at night. The good news: The sun is set to shine during Trump’s ceremony, but 10 to 20 mph freezing winds will make it feel even colder.
D.C.’s had its fair share of cold days in January, but frigid temperatures aren’t the norm for Inauguration Day. The average Jan. 20 has hovered around a 45 degree high and 30 degree low with wind chill also in the 30s, according to the National Weather Service. Trump’s last ceremony eight years ago saw a high of 48 degrees with a bit of rain — nowhere near the ice-cold temperatures waiting for him on Monday.
Ironically, Reagan also had the warmest Inauguration Day on record. (His 1981 ceremony had a high of 55 degrees.) Four years later, his second ceremony was moved indoors because an Arctic cold wave brought in single-digit temperatures.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flood the National Mall to see Trump take his second oath of office. With freezing wind and blistering cold on the forecast, a few reminders: layer up, bring a hat and gloves and maybe invest in some hand warmers.
