March 2011

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
March 2011
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of March 2011 was the driest March on record, replacing March 1916 for that honor.

Only 0.48 inch of rain fell in the city about 12 percent of normal. Otherwise, the month saw near normal temperatures. Compared with March 2010, the month was 6.6 deg. Warmer and 3.89 inches drier. Year- to-date rainfall through month's end was 3.18 inches less in 2011 than in 2010.

With LaNina continuing to dominate equatorial Pacific waters, March 2011 was a typical example for such a situation.

The thirty-day outlook had called for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.

A progressive weather pattern was in place during the first half of the month, with storm systems followed by weak cold fronts crossing on the 5th, 8th, and 14th. These brought thunderstorms, with a few severe on each occasion northeast of Tyler. Rainfall amounts were light.

The month began under cool high pressure, warmed until the arrival of the system of the 5th, and cooled again behind that system and the ones of the 8th and 14th. Warm-ups preceded the latter two fronts, as well.

On the 16th, an upper air high pressure ridge established itself. At the same time, surface high pressure to the east and low pressure to the west resulted in warm temperatures, no rainfall, and gusty south winds. This pattern persisted until a strong cold front arrived on the evening of the 26th, which lowered temperatures through the end of the month.

A secondary system on the evening of the 29th brought thunderstorms to the south and east of Tyler, with only light rain in Tyler.

• 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 2011

• 01 69 38 65
• 02 73 45 67
• 03 73 45 70
• 04 71 61 68
• 05 63 42 51 0.11 T, F, PCPN 1100-1400 Morning low 48, Daytime High 54
• 06 61 31 57
• 07 62 42 59
• 08 74 54 71 0.06 F, PCPN 1000-1100
• 09 63 44 0.22 T, F, PCPN 0300-0700Morning Low 46
• 10 64 37 59
• 11 75 36 70
• 12 78 53 73
• 13 74 59 72
• 14 65 44 56 0.08 T, F, PCPN 1000-1100Morning low 54, Daytime High 59
• 15 69 36 64
• 16 74 52 70 H
• 17 82 60 77
• 18 83 62 80
• 19 85 62 80
• 20 82 59 77
• 21 81 61 76
• 22 81 63 76
• 23 86 63 78 Morning Low 64
• 24 79 47 75
• 25 81 57 78
• 26 87 55 80 Morning Low 65
• 27 57 47 55 tr. Morning Low 50, H
• 28 56 44 54
• 29 62 50 56 0.01 H,
• 30 59 46 55 H, Morning low 48
• 31 74 42 69 F, H

MARCH 2011, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

• 6TH, LAST FREEZE, GROWING SEASON BEGINS;
• 13TH, 0800Z DAYLIGHT-SAVING TIME COMMENCES;
• 20TH: VERNAL EQUINOX 2321Z;
• DRIEST MARCH ON RECORD WITH 0.48 INCH, PREVIOUS DRIEST 0.49 IN MARCH 1916;
• HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 87 ON THE 26TH,
• LOWEST TEMPERATURE 31 ON THE 6TH,
• AVERAGE MAXIMUM 72.4 F.,
• AVERAGE MINIMUM 49.6 F.,
• AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 61.0 F.,
• 0.7 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
• 184 HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
• 104.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
• 66 COOLING DEGREE DAYS,
• 212.9 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
• TOTAL PRECIPITATION 0.48 IN.,
• 3.48 IN. LESS THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.
• 12.1 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.
• YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 7.85 IN.,
• 3.18 IN. LESS THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,
• 71.2 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;
• 3 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
• 5 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED;
• 9 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO BETWEEN « AND 6 MILESBY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS BY FOG;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
• 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
• 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.
• 1 DAY ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
• 2128 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 112.2
• 75 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 159.6.
• PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 32.72 IN.,
• TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 72.3.

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