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March 2016 Climate Summary Now Available
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2016-04-07 18:12:16
Updated:
Overview - Warm Conditions Brought Early Onset Of Spring
The warm pattern that was evident in February continued into March throughout the High Plains. Above normal temperatures prevailed across almost the entire region, and many locations experienced the warmest first half of March (March 1-15) on record. The greatest departures occurred once again in North Dakota. It was the 2nd warmest March on record in Grand Forks and Minot, with temperature departures of more than 10.0 degrees F (5.6 degrees C) above normal at both locations (Grand Forks period of record 1894-2016, Minot period of record 1949-2016). There were numerous locations throughout the region that had a top 10 warmest March on record, but the warmth did not top March 2012, a year that many remember as having a mild winter and an extremely early onset of spring.
Wet and dry conditions were both prominent across the region in March. Above normal precipitation occurred throughout much of Wyoming and the Nebraska panhandle, which improved abysmal snowpack conditions in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming and prevented further development of drought in that area. Lander, Wyoming had its wettest March and 8th snowiest March on record (period of record 1892-2016). Much of the rest of the region was dry, especially across southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado. Garden City, Kansas had its driest March on record with only a trace of precipitation recorded (period of record 1947-2016). A combination of the dryness and warm temperatures led to drought development in this area. Wildfires were a common feature in this region during March, and windy conditions caused them to spread quickly. In fact, Kansas had one of its largest wildfires in history, which burned nearly 400,000 acres.
Warm and dry conditions prompted farmers to get out in their fields early to prepare for planting. As spring planting season nears, soil moisture conditions become very important to farmers. Reports from around the region stated that topsoil moisture in parts of North Dakota and Kansas was rather dry, which could negatively impact winter grains. Without ample precipitation, this could become more of a concern as the crop matures.
For more information on temperature, precipitation, and impacts from climate in March in the High Plains region, please see the link to the full PDF of the summary: http://hprcc.unl.edu/climatesummaries.php
