March 2010

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
March 2010
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of March 2010, continuing the trend throughout the 2009-2010 cool season, was much cooler and slightly wetter than normal. This season will likely emerge as a textbook example of an El Nino Winter, with cold temperatures, three occurrences of measurable snowfall, and precipitation running somewhat above normal. Compared with March 2009, the month was 3.3 deg. Cooler, and 3.29 inches drier. Year-to-date rainfall through the 31st was identical for both years. The thirty-day outlook had called for below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.

The week February 28-March 6 saw temperatures about 9 degrees cooler than normal, and rainfall about two-thirds normal. A storm system and cold front crossed on the 1st, bringing the week's rainfall. Cool air persisted, until a warming trend set in on the 4th. The week's average temperature was 48.4 deg., and precipitation was 0.64 inch. This was 4.9 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 9.6 deg. Cooler, and there was no precipitation in the previous year.

The week March 7-13 saw near normal temperatures and rainfall about 150 percent of normal. A slow-moving and wet storm system crossed between the 8th and 10th, with severe weather on the afternoon of the 10th. Tropical Maritime air was in the region during this time. A cold front, crossing on the 11th, sent temperatures back below normal. Readings had been above normal while the storm system was over the region. The week's average temperature was 58.1 deg., which was 9.7 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 1.48 inches. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 2.2 deg. Warmer, and 3.97 inches drier.

The week March 14-20 saw temperatures about 7 degrees below normal, and rainfall about 75 percent of normal. A weak cold front crossed on the 16th with no associated weather. It did keep temperatures below normal until a strong front and storm system arrived on the 20th. This brought widespread rain on the 20th, and snow on the 21st. Snowfall amounts were around two inches north of Tyler, with one-half inch or less accumulating south of the IH-20 Corridor. The precipitation of the 20th and 21st was accompanied by strong northwest winds in the 15-25 mph range, which lower wind chill equivalent values into the 20s for much of the weekend. The week's average temperature was 53.7 deg., and precipitation was 0.73 inch. The week was 4.4 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 6.0 deg. Cooler, and 0.71 inch wetter.

The week March 21-28 saw temperatures about 9 deg. Below normal, and precipitation about 150 percent of normal. Rapid warming followed the winter storm of the 20th-21st, until a cold front arrived on the 25th with widespread rain and a few thunderstorms. Temperatures lowered for a couple of days, with strong warming again on the 27th ahead of another cold front. This one crossed dry, with windy conditions on the 27th and 28th. The week's average temperature was 53.1 deg., which was 0.6 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Precipitation was 1.52 inches. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 5.4 deg. Cooler, and 0.10 inch drier.

The final four days of the month saw a strong warming trend, with the first 80-degree high observed on the 30th. There were 151 days in the cool season without a high of 80; the latest in 2009 was on October 29. Surface and upper air high pressure brought the warm-up.

• KEY TO SYMBOLS:
• A = HAIL
• B = BLOWING
• D = DUST
• F = FOG
• H = HAZE
• IP = SLEET
• K = SMOKE
• L = DRIZZLE
• R = RAIN
• S = SNOW
• T = THUNDERSTORM
• Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
• ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
• ZR = FREEZING RAIN
• - = LIGHT
• + = HEAVY

R FOLLOWING A TEMPERATURE OR PRECIPITATION VALUE = RECORD

The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.

MARCH 2010

• DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
• 01 50 40 41 0.48 F, PCPN 1100-2400
• 02 51 32 46 0.16 PCPN 0000-0500 MN 0000-1200 35
• 03 61 28 55 F
• 04 67 31 62
• 05 68 41 63
• 06 70 41 65
• 07 61 49 57 tr.
• 08 63 54 57 0.30 F, PCPN 0400-0600, 1800-2100
• 09 77 50 71 1.15 T, F, PCPN 0000-0300, 0700-0900 MN 0000-1200 51
• 10 79 48 66 0.03 F, PCPN 2300-2400 MN 0000-1200 50
• 11 71 43 61
• 12 67 42 61
• 13 67 42 61
• 14 78 40 72
• 15 70 46 64
• 16 57 45 53 tr., MN 0000-1200 51
• 17 68 41 60 F
• 18 68 39 62
• 19 73 39 67
• 20 56 32 34 0.73 F, R, IP, PCPN 1500-2400 MN 0000-1200 52, MX 1200-2400 54
• 21 40 30 38 0.22 2.1S F, S, R, PCPN 1200-2300
• 22 67 36 62
• 23 75 37 69
• 24 68 54 61
• 25 57 45 54 1.30 T, F, PCPN 0300-0600
• 26 69 38 65
• 27 78 49 71
• 28 65 45 58
• 29 73 37 68 H
• 30 80 44 71
• 31 83 52 78

MARCH 2010, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

14TH, 0800Z DAYLIGHT-SAVING TIME COMMENCES; 20TH, ASTRONOMICAL ONSET OF SPRING AT 1732Z, 21ST, RECORD LOW MAXIMUM 40, PREVIOUS RECORD 41 IN 1989; 21ST, LAST FREEZE; 22ND, GROWING SEASON BEGINS; HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 83 ON THE 31ST, LOWEST TEMPERATURE 28 ON THE 3RD; AVERAGE MAXIMUM 67.0 F., AVERAGE MINIMUM 41.7 F., AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 54.4 F., 5.9 DEG. COOLER THAN NORMAL. 326 HEATING DEGREE DAYS, 184.2 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS. 3 COOLING DEGREE DAYS, 9.7 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS; TOTAL PRECIPITATION 4.37 IN., 0.41 IN. GREATER THAN MONTHLY NORMAL. 110.4 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION. YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 11.03 IN., EQUALS NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION, 100.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION; 2 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED; 10 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO BETWEEN 1 AND 7 MILES BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE; 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO 1 MILE OR LESS BY FOG; 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST; 2 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED; 2.1 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL. 9 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED. 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.; 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.; 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG. 4 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG. 2610 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS, PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 137.7, 4 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS. PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 8.5, PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 53.64 IN., TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 118.5.

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