Cold/Wind Chill — District of Columbia, District of Columbia

2002-02-05 · District of Columbia, District of Columbia

Event narrative

Two homeless men died after being exposed to near zero degree wind chills overnight.

Wider weather episode

A cold front moved through the region during the evening of the 4th. Cold air and a strong northwest wind pushed into the region behind the front during the predawn hours of the 5th. Temperatures dipped into the upper teens and winds between 20 and 30 MPH caused wind chills to dip to between 10 above and zero degrees overnight. Two homeless men were found dead on the morning of the 5th after suffering from hypothermia. The 1st victim was found at a bus stop at the corner of 11th and U streets NW and the 2nd victim was found at a boathouse near the Kennedy Center.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5283733. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.