WORTHINGTON -- The great transition from cold-season weather to warm-season weather commences around March 15. The average daily temperature rises only about four degrees from the first of the month, but then rises 11 more degrees by the 31st.
After mid-March, storminess with heavy snow occurs rather often and one storm has earned the title "The State Basketball Tournament Storm." Especially stormy is the period from March 21 to April 3.
The second half of March is somewhat less cloudy than the first half. And after the 15th, temperatures in the 70s usually have occured about half the time during the past 150 years. Prior to mid-March, the mercury has never risen to 70 in the past 150 years.
Temperatures of 10 below zero are not to be generally expected after the first day of the spring season, March 20. Although the average snow depth runs from 4.5 inches at the start of the month to only half an inch at the end, most years there is no continuous snow pack after the 25th.
Hence, there is a drop in the average water vapor content from the equinox to the end of the month. The 31st averages just a bit above March 1 in this variable. After the 15th, winter sports of any kind should not be scheduled.
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Plan to engage in them only as serendipity (having some good weather when not expected -- a surprise) may allow. But do not count on snow-free ground at any time during the month, as spring storms may bring new snows.
In the language of the Ojibwe Indians, the moon of March, which will be full on the 10th, is "Bebokwedagiming Giziz," or Snowshoe Breaking Moon. This is the time when snowshoes are no longer practical to use because of the decreasing snow pack.
Based on past weather records, the average daytime high during March is 39.2 degrees, and the average overnight low is 20.6 degrees. That makes the monthly temperature mean -- the average of the highs and lows -- 30.1 degrees, 12 degrees warmer than February.
One March weather event rated a mention in Bruce F. Watson's Weather Almanac. The report is as follows: "March 26, 1921. General gales over the area, accompanied by tornadoes at Rushmore, Reading and Fulda."
The recent history March record high is a reading of 79 degrees set in 1978. The month's record low is 12 degrees below zero set in 1984.
Don't put your snow blower in storage yet; the average snowfall total for March is 7.8 inches. The greatest snowfall total in recent years during March is 17.3 inches, which was reported in 1983.
"The Old Farmer's Almanac" predicts that the March average temperature will be about six degrees cooler than usual and that this region will have about one more inch of rainfall than usual. Anything is better than what we've endured these past months.
