March 2013 Revisited

March 2013... Here's how things shaped up (or down):

Above average:  Temperature
Average or near: Solar radiation
Below Average: Wind, rain, snow

My station's average temperature of 46.1° was way warmer than the long term March average of 43.8°, and warmer than the more recent (2001-2012) average of 44.4°. The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 45.7°.  This was the 7th month in a row to have above average temperatures, and also the warmest March since 2007.

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 75°, and the low temp was 27°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 74° and 24°.  

The high heat index (at my station) for the month was 72°, and the low wind chill was 27°.

Solar radiation averaged 292 Ly/day, compared to an average March of 286 Ly/day.  This made it... average...

Regarding precipitation, my station had 2.32" rain for the month, and HOXO officially recorded 1.87".   Since an average March receives 3.17", this was another pretty dry month, the 3rd month in a row to have below average rain.

The max daily precipitation was March 20th, when my station recorded 0.58", and HOXO recorded 0.52".

There was no measurable snowfall here at my May and Rand location.  Average March snowfall, as officially (and historically) measured by MCAREC, is 2.2".

The 24 hour average wind  speed at my weather station was 2.2 mph, compared to an average March wind speed of 2.9 mph.  The peak wind gust was 33 mph on the 15th.  Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations, such as the Columbia River, were, of course, higher.  

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.46", and the low barometric was 29.59".

There were no local weather records set this month.

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for March, click here.  For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.