January can bring very cold weather to the Washington, D.C. area. Therefore, every four years, predicting the temperatures becomes a challenge. The forecasted snow and low temperatures prompted President-Elect Donald Trump to move the Inauguration ceremonies and parade indoors. The swearing-in will take place inside the United States Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C., followed by an event at the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington.

This decision was made due to the health risks associated with extreme cold. Additionally, musicians playing outdoors in freezing conditions find their instruments sound flat and harder to play. Brass instruments tend to freeze, causing valves to malfunction, and trombone slides also seize up.

Cold weather has been a feature of inaugurations since the nation’s founding. Originally held on March 4th, the date was changed to January 20th with the ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1933. Six inaugurals have seen measurable snow, with the last occurrence in 2001. Measurable precipitation, whether snow or rain, has been recorded on 15 of the 38 inaugurations since 1873. Only a trace of rain was recorded on Inauguration Day for Joseph Biden in 2021.

John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961 was cold, but that was not the only issue; a snowstorm left eight inches of snow across the nation’s capital the day before, continuing into the morning. Crews worked through the night to clear the streets of Washington.

Five inaugurations had high temperatures of 32 degrees or colder, while 10 experienced highs of 50 degrees or warmer. Four of these milder inaugurations occurred after changing the date to January 20.

The cold weather possibly contributed to the death of President William Henry Harrison, who was elected in 1840. He delivered a lengthy inauguration speech (over 8,000 words) while standing outside without a hat or overcoat for about four hours, which led to a severe cold. He died within about a month.

The coldest March inauguration belongs to Ulysses S. Grant for his second inauguration in 1873, with a record low of just four degrees that morning, rising only to 16 degrees by noon. Wind chills dipped well below zero due to gusts reaching up to 40 mph. I recall reading that cadets from the U.S. Military Academy marched without overcoats, leading to many suffering, including one cadet who collapsed and had to be revived inside.

The snowy weather(10 inches) for William Howard Taft’s inauguration in March 1909 forced the event to be moved to the Senate chambers of the U.S. Capitol rather than the usual spot on the East Portico.

Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration on January 20, 1985, holds the record for the coldest Inauguration Day. At noon in Washington, D.C., the temperature was just seven degrees Fahrenheit. Both the ceremony and parade were moved indoors. Winds gusted between 30 and 40 miles per hour outside the capital. President Reagan visited the bands at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, after the parade was canceled. Interestingly, Reagan’s second inauguration was the coldest in January, while his first in 1981 was the warmest, reaching 55 degrees by noon.

No matter the weather, the transfer of power takes place at noon on January 20^th with the oath of office administered by the Chief Justice of the United States.

How do the bands adapt to playing cold weather marches? See video below: