After a harsh winter, March 2026 had just a trace of snow and was the 12th mildest March on record. The month was four degrees above average, the most above average for a month since last March (which was 4.1 degrees above average). The average high was 5.2 degrees above average, the low was 2.7 above average.
The month might be best remembered for having a high of 80° on 3/10, which was the earliest date on record for a high of 80+. And there was another high of 81° on 3/31. This was the tenth March with at least one high in the 80s and the fifth with two readings or more. Additionally, there were four days with highs in the 70s. These six days with highs of 70° or warmer was the most in March since 2012.
3.60” of rain fell during the month. The most in one day was 1.42” on 3/5 (mostly after dark). This was the tenth consecutive month with below average precipitation; the deficit during these months was greater than eleven inches. March was the fifth month in a row with less than four inches of precipitation. (17 other years have had this many in a row from Nov thru Mar, most recently in 2001-02.)
On 3/31, just 0.01" of rain fell in Central Park, but it was enough to make this the 19th year since 2000 in which measurable rain fell on this date, making it the most of any calendar date - or 70% of the years. This is well above the 33% occurrence rate for the average calendar date.
On March 8, 9, and 10 Central Park had its first high of the year in the 60s, 70s, and 80s on consecutive days, something that had happened just once before, in 1892 on April 2, 3, and 4.
Not only did Central Park have its earliest first reading in the 80s of any year, that week also had the earliest 3-day streak of highs of 70° or warmer, coming three days earlier than the one in 2012.
Still, there were some vestiges of winter as the following three days had a winter chill:
33°/21° on 3/2 (12 degrees below average)
36°/29° on 3/3 (6 degrees below average)
37°/25° on 3/18 (12 degrees below average)
When the temperature reached 80° on 3/10, it was just 15 days after the 19.8" snowstorm of 2/22-23. This was by far the fewest days between a snowstorm of a foot or more and a reading in the 80s.
Looking at winters with 40” or more of snow through February, the winter of 2025-206 was just the third in which no measurable snow fell in March.
Finally, 2026 was the fifth year in which a February with twenty or more inches of snow was followed by a March with no measurable snow.
It's also worth noting:
ReplyDelete- The month's first highs of 50+, 60+, 70+, and 80+ were on consecutive days (Mar 7-10).
- The snowflakes that fell on 3/12 with afternoon temps in the low 40s, immediately after spring warmth and temperatures well into the 70s (and 80°); at least there was no accumulation whatsoever.
- The violent storms on the night of 3/16 (St. Patrick's Day eve).
This is also the third March in a row with no measurable snowfall.
March 2026 somewhat resembled March 2022, but was much more extreme in its highs. Had it not been for the cold days it would have certainly been a top 10 warmest March. This is also the SEVENTH March in a row with above-average temperatures!
ReplyDeleteThe last time March was colder than average was in 2019, the last time measurable snow fell in March was 2023.
ReplyDeleteA seven year streak of above-average Marches. Wow!
DeleteAdditionally, since 2020 only 0.5" of snow has fallen in March. 0.4" fell in 2022 & 0.1" fell in 2023. Every other March has seen traces, except for March 2025 which didn't even record a trace.
Additionally, there hasn't been a reading below 20° in March since 2019, nor has there been a high temperature below 30° since that same year. Additionally, every single March since 2019 except for 2023 (which recorded none) has recorded at least two highs of 70° or warmer.