National Climatic Data Center, 15 April 2003

• March Temperatures
• Temperature Departures
• Last 3 months (Jan-Mar)
• 12-month Temperatures (Feb-Jan)

  ---

• U.S. Precipitation

March Temperatures

larger image

The graph to the left shows monthly mean temperature averaged across the contiguous United States based on long-term data from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN). The value for 2003 is estimated from preliminary Climate Division data using the first difference approach. March 2003 ranked as the 34th warmest March in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 44.0° F (6.7° C) which was 1.6° F (0.9° C) above the long-term mean.

Above average temperatures in March were present across 20 states including much of the western U.S. and the Southeast. Much above average warmth occurred in Idaho and Florida, where Florida experienced its 5th warmest March on record. Below average temperatures were present in Maine and the remaining 25 states including those in the Great Lakes, the northern High Plains and the Deep South. As can be seen in a map of divisional temperature (below right), cooler than average temperatures also occurred in parts of Montana, North Dakota, Texas and Louisiana. In addition, the southern Florida peninsula had a record warm March. The pattern of warmth and cold in the contiguous U.S. in March broadly corresponded with the mean 500mb height and anomalies chart. This shows that above normal 500mb heights were present in the western U.S. and the Southeast. These regions experienced above average temperatures in March. It was the 43rd warmest March since reliable statewide records began in 1918 for Alaska. Anomalies of -0.4°F (-0.2°C) relative to the period 1971-2000 ranked March 2003 slightly below average. This was the first below normal March in Alaska over the last 4 years.

larger image Click here for animated image

Temperature Departures

A new maximum daily temperature record was set in Miami, FL on March 2nd when the high reached 90°F (32.2°C) breaking the old record of 87°F (30.6°C) set back in 1985. This was also the earliest ever in the calendar year that Miami reached 90°F (32.2°C). The previous earliest date was March 5th set back in 1964. Other record highs for March 2nd include West Palm Beach, FL (92°F/33.3°C) and Fort Lauderdale, FL (90°F/32.2°C). On March 3rd, Marquette, MI reported their lowest temperature ever recorded in March with -30°F (-34.4°C). The previous coldest record of -27°F (-32.8°C) occurred back on March 1, 1962.

larger image

January - March 2003

larger image

The graph to the left shows mean temperature averaged across the contiguous United States based on long-term data from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN). The value for January-March 2003 is estimated from preliminary Climate Division data using the first difference approach. January-March 2003 was warmer than average and ranked as the 36th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature for January-March was 36.7° F (2.6° C) which was 0.7° F (0.4° C) above the long-term mean.

Six states averaged much warmer than the long-term mean for January-March. Nevada and Oregon were 3rd and 4th warmest on record, respectively, for the 3-month period. Warmer than average temperatures were also present along the front range of the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. Nineteen states averaged colder than the long-term mean and Maine averaged much below normal for the January-March period. The January-March pattern is similar to the temperature pattern across the contiguous U.S. for January, with above average warmth evident in the West and below average temperatures along the Mississippi River valley, eastern Great Lakes and Northeast.

larger image

National Temperatures - April 2002-March 2003

larger image

The graph to the left shows mean temperature averaged across the contiguous United States based on long-term data from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN). April 2002-March 2003 ranked as the 15th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 53.7°F (12.1°C) which was 0.9°F (0.5°C) above the long-term mean.

The western half of the U.S. was generally warm over the April 2002-March 2003 period. Only 3 states (Pennsylvania, Vermont and Maine) averaged below normal. The West and Southwest regions were 2nd warmest and warmest on record, respectively for the last 12 months, with all the states in those regions ranking in the top ten such warmest periods.

larger image

Questions?

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:

NCDC / Climate Monitoring / Climate of 2003 / March / U.S. Temp. / Search / Help