March 2019 Summary – Sunnier and Snowier Than Average

Blue Hill Observatory

March 2019 Summary:

March temperature was near average, and the month brought more snow than average despite being drier and sunnier than average. The 24-hour adjusted mean temperature for the month of 34.7 deg F was 0.3 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for March and slightly cooler than the 1981-2010 30-year average. The average maximum temperature of 44.0 deg F was 0.3 degrees below normal, and the average minimum temperature of 26.1 deg F was a half degree below normal. The highest temperature for the month was 67F on the 30th, and the lowest temperature was 6F on the 7th. Precipitation totaled of 4.08 inches during March, which was a half inch less than the long-term 120-year average and an inch and a half inch less than the 30-year mean. The greatest amount in 24 hours was 1.82 inches on the 3rd-4th. The month started very snowy with 20 inches over the first four days, which included 15.8 inches during the largest snowstorm of the season on the 3rd-4th. March snowfall totaled 23.1 inches, which was eleven inches more than the long-term mean and the 30-year normal. The mean wind speed was 13.5 mph, and the prevailing direction was from the west. A peak gust of 53 mph from the south occurred during warm weather that ended the month on the 31th. March had much above average sunshine, with 210.2 hours of bright sunshine, or 59 percent of possible, which was ten percent more than the long-term mean of 49 percent. This made March the seventh sunniest on record and the sunniest since 2006.

BHO Greatest March Sunshine, hours [percent], (1886-2019):

1) 243.0 in 1915 [68%] 2) 236.7 in 1946 [66%] 3) 230.1 in 1978 [64%] 4) 215.0 in 2006 [60%] 5) 214.1 in 1910 [60%] 6) 212.9 in 1962 [59%] 7) 210.2 in 2019 [59%]
8) 210.0 in 1892 [59%] 9) 209.8 in 1986 [59%]

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory