By Bill Kappel
It was an interesting March around the region with colder than normal temperatures but very little snowfall. This combination is rare. Usually if March is cold it is also snowy, and if March is dry it is warm. But not this year. This is also a little disappointing, as it would have been nice to continue the trend of above-normal moisture we have seen in the last few months. The good news is that snow continued to pile up in the mountains with the exception of the Arkansas River basin. In fact, the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado have been setting records for seasonal snowfall. Just as important, if not more, most of the western U.S. has seen copious amounts of snowfall. Most amazing is the amounts of snowfall that have already occurred this year, with many locations already breaking their all-time seasonal accumulations.
All this moisture in the western U.S. is, of course, very good news for helping alleviate some of the extreme drought conditions that have been occurring for the last several years. Now let’s hope the snow melts out “gracefully” as we head into spring and summer. If not, we will be dealing with some major flood issues throughout the region, especially for areas west of the Continental Divide.
For us along the Palmer Divide, temperatures were below normal for the first week of the month, with highs in the 30s and 40s and a little light snowfall on the 1st and 3rd. Even cooler air moved in on the 7th with areas of low clouds and fog along with some freezing drizzle and flurries through the morning of the 9th. Highs were below freezing on the 7th and 8th as well.
Skies cleared on the 9th and the stronger March sunshine helped temperatures warm quickly, reaching the upper 50s by the 10th. After a brief cool down on the 11th and 12th, the warmest temperatures of the month took hold on the 14th and 15th, topping out in the mid-60s and melting most of the remaining snowpack.
The most organized storm of the month then moved through in the next few days. This storm had all the signs of a spring system in the region, with mild air initially and areas of rain showers and ice pellets just after midnight on the 16th quickly turning to snow and blowing snow. Unsettled and cold conditions continued the next day with highs barely reaching the freezing mark.
Spring-like conditions settled in over the remainder of the month, with highs bouncing around from the mid- to upper 50s on the 21st and 22nd to just above the freezing mark on the 25th and 26th. Several of the days started off quiet with mostly clear skies giving way to convective snow showers by late morning and early afternoon. Unfortunately, no organized systems moved through, so snow showers were scattered and didn’t produce any significant accumulations. Temperatures were below normal for most of the last two weeks of the month.
A look ahead
April is known for a wide range of weather conditions in the region and is on average our snowiest month of the year. We can see 70° temperatures one afternoon and blizzard conditions the next. Several recent years have seen over 50 inches of snow accumulate during the month. Of course, it also melts very quickly, often adding beneficial moisture to the soil and helping the vegetation, which is just getting started.
March 2023 Weather Statistics
Average High 43.8° (-8.4°) 100-year return frequency value max 57.9° min 38.0°
Average Low 18.3° (-3.3°) 100-year return frequency value max 27.0° min 12.0°
Highest Temperature: 66° on the 15th
Lowest Temperature: 5° on the 18th
Monthly Precipitation: 0.33” (-1.26”, 80% below normal) 100-year return frequency value max 4.29” min 0.22”
Monthly Snowfall: 6.4” (-13.9”, 70% below normal)
Season to Date Snow: 69.5” (-21.4”, 25% below normal) (the snow season is from July 1 to June 30)
Season to Date Precip.: 2.05” (-1.19”, 35% below normal) (the precip season is from Oct 1 to Sept 30)
Heating Degree Days: 1052 (+139)
Cooling Degree Days: 0
Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.
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