By Chuck Otte
County Extension Agent, Retired
Like February, March is starting to repeat the pattern of 2023 which was above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation. January through March normally shows a nice increase in precipitation but again this year we are seeing each month with lower precipitation than the previous month. A trend we hope doesn’t continue on into April.
The average daily high for March was 60 degrees, 3.9 degrees above normal. The average overnight low for the month was 38.2, 5.4 degrees above normal. This resulted in a monthly mean temperature of 49.1, 4.7 degrees above normal. This moves March 2024 into a tie with March 2021 for the sixth warmest March on record. Seven of the ten warmest March’s on record have occurred since 2000.
The warmest March on record was in 2012 with a monthly mean temperature of 57.5. The coldest March on record was 1960 with a monthly mean temperature of 31.3 degrees. The warmest temperature for the month was 76 on March 31st. The coldest temperature was 20 degrees on the 27th of March. There were no temperature records set for the month.
There were few rainfall events during March, and the recorded precipitation was minimal in each event. Average March precipitation is 2.0 inches. The area received 0.70 inches or 35% of normal. Year to date we have received 3.34 inches. Normal through the end of march is 3.83 inches. After a very wet January, February and March have failed to keep up with average.
The wettest March on record was in 1974 when an amazing 8.04 inches of precipitation was recorded. The driest March on record was in 1974 when there was no measurable precipitation. March normally sees about 3 inches of snow. This year we saw less than a half inch of snow with one late season snowfall. Season to date (starting in October) we have had 17.5 inches of snow, just about average through the end of March and close to our annual seasonal average of 18 inches.
Historically, April brings us some very spring like temperatures and an increase in rain with those legendary “April showers”. Long term average April rainfall is 3.15 inches. Daily highs start the month at 63 and by the end of the month are up to 68 degrees. Overnight lows on April 1st are 38 and by the 30th have risen to 47 degrees. While April snowfall is not out of the questions, the long term average is a mere 0.7 inches of snow for the month!