March 2016 Summary – Warmer and Drier than Average

Blue Hill Observatory
March 2016 Summary:

The month was notable for being much warmer than average with less precipitation and snowfall than normal. The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 40.7 deg F was 6.3 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for March and about five degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average. March tied for the eighth warmest on record.  March had 22 days that averaged warmer than normal and only nine days that averaged colder than normal. Six consecutive days in the second week of the month averaged more than 10 deg F above normal, include two days, the 9th and 10th, that each exceeded the daily average temperature by 24 deg F. The highest temperature for the month of 75F, which occurred on the 9th, was a new daily record maximum for the date surpassing the old record of 71F set in 2000, and the low temperature of 50F on the 10th set a new daily record high minimum temperature for that date, surpassing the previous record of 42F set in 1977 and 2006. The coldest temperature during the month of 16F occurred on the 3rd. The warm weather in March contributed to the first three months of 2016 combined being the fourth warmest on record, and the warmest since 2012. In addition, the last twelve month period from April 2015 through March 2016 was the warmest in at least the last 131 years. March was drier than average with a precipitation total of 3.21 inches, which was about an inch and a half less than the long-term 120-year average and 2.37 inches drier than the 30-year mean. The monthly snowfall was only 4.4 inches, which was more than eight inches less than average. The mean wind speed was 13.2 mph, which tied for the fourth slowest for March, with a prevailing direction from the south. A peak gust of 63 mph from the south was observed during a warm and very windy day on the 31st. March sunshine was close to average with 48 percent of the possible bright sunshine being observed, which was one percent less than the long-term average.

BHO Warmest March, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 43.5 in 1946
2) 43.4 in 2012
3) 42.7 in 1945
4) 42.2 in 1903
5) 41.5 in 2010
6) 41.2 in 1921
7) 40.8 in 2000
8) 40.7 in 1977
   40.7 in 2016
10) 40.5 in 1973

BHO Warmest January-March, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 36.3 in 2012
2) 35.0 in 2002
3) 34.7 in 1998
4) 34.1 in 2016
5) 33.9 in 1990
6) 33.2 in 1953
7) 33.0 in 2006

BHO Warmest April-March, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 52.2 in 2015-2016
2) 52.1 in 2011-2012
3) 51.5 in 2001-2002
4) 50.9 in 1999-2000
5) 50.4 in 2012-2013

BHO March Slowest Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2016):

1) 12.1 in 1995
2) 12.8 in 2012
3) 13.1 in 2014
4) 13.2 in 2009
   13.2 in 2016
6) 13.4 in 2013
   13.4 in 2015

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory