The Atlantic Coast Observer Network - Virginia/North Carolina/South Carolina

http://www.genserva.com/acon

SUMMARY OF CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA 



MARCH 2013

...MUCH COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES...

...NORTH CAROLINA PRECIPITATION SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW NORMAL AVERAGES...

VIRGINIA & SOUTH CAROLINA PRECIPITATION TOTALS
AVERAGE SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL...

...SIGNIFICANT LATE SEASON SNOWS FOR WESTERN & NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA...

  • THE NOAA RESOURCES PAGE (from CoCoRaHS)       The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has many exciting informative resources available for the public to view and learn about our oceans and atmosphere. CoCoRaHS in partnership with NOAA will continue to strive to bring you the latest products and information as they become available. During the year NOAA runs a series of weather awareness and preparedness weeks providing important information on a variety of weather related subjects. These include: Severe Weather Preparedness Week, Flood Awareness Week and Lightning Safety Awareness Week just to name a few. Visit the NOAA Resources page to see this year's schedule. To learn more about NOAA Resources listed on the CoCoRaHS Web site click on the NOAA logo on the left side of our home page: www.cocorahs.org or click here: “NOAA Resources” http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=noaa


  • WHAT "TYPE" OF PRECIPATION IS FALLING BY YOU? (from CoCoRaHS)       NOAA's NSSL appreciates your help! NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is located in Norman, Oklahoma. They study severe and hazardous weather processes and develop tools to help National Weather Service forecasters, and federal, university and private sector partners use weather information more effectively. NSSL has launched its iPhone and Android apps to collect precipitation reports from the public. The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma has launched an app where users can anonymously report precipitation from their iPhone or Android through the "mobile precipitation identification near the ground "mPING" app. NSSL researchers will compare the reports with what radars detect and use the information to develop new radar and forecasting technologies and techniques to determine whether snow, rain, ice pellets, mixtures or hail is falling. NSSL hopes to build a valuable database of tens of thousands of observations from across the U.S. The apps are available on iTunes or Google Play for use on both phones and tablets. The reports can be viewed here in real-time: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/ping/display/

    The lab's main PING page: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/ping/

    Link for iTunes app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mping/id584383400?mt=8

    Link for Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.ou.cimms.wping&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImVkdS5vdS5jaW1tcy53cGluZyJd

    If you have some extra time please give this a try, NSSL would really appreciate your help!



  • THE NATIONAL PHENOLOGY NETWORK  (from CoCoRaHS) Join the USA National Phenology Network! Document how plants and animals respond to local weather conditions using Nature's Notebook. The Network is offering CoCoRaHS participants a chance to enhance their observations by also reporting on what plants or animals are doing! Plants and animals respond strongly to environmental conditions. Trees are cued by warming spring temperatures to begin leafing out. A combination of temperature and soil moisture conditions influence when they flower and produce fruits and seeds. Similarly, birds and insects migrate and complete their life cycles based on temperature and sun angle cues. The timing of these seasonal life cycle events is termed phenology. Because plants and animal life cycle events are so closely tied to weather conditions, they are being affected by climate change. In many parts of the country, trees and plants are leafing out and flowering earlier than in previous decades. Though the longer growing season can be beneficial in some respects, there are risks and drawbacks as well. For example, early leaf-out comes with a higher risk of plant damage due to late frosts. Spring 2012 was a good example of the widespread damage that can occur from a very early spring - fruit and vegetable crops were decimated in much of the Midwest. NPN welcomes you to help them better document how plants and animals are responding to local weather conditions. Your observations of plant or animal phenology collected via Nature's Notebook are made available publicly and are regularly used by researchers and decision makers. Phenology observations made at the same locations that weather observations are collected are especially valuable! Learn more! NPN invites you to join one of their spring campaigns at http://www.usanpn.org/Spring2013Campaigns. They are especially interested in collecting observations for these species. However, you are welcome to collect and submit observations on any of the 900 species of plants and animals for which protocols are available at http://www.usanpn.org/participate/observe. Questions? Contact Theresa Crimmins, USA National Phenology Network's Partnerships & Outreach Coordinator at: theresa@usanpn.org


  • CHASING ICE    http://www.youtube.com/embed/hC3VTgIPoGU?rel=0    "Chasing Ice" captures the largest glacier calving ever filmed! (official video)


  • DROUGHT MONITOR    http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/    More information on drought can be found at NOAA's Drought Information Center http://www.drought.noaa.gov/


  • REMINDER   All National Weather Service station data listed herein is preliminary and may be subject to change.  The data has not been certified and cannot be used in legal actions.  Only reports certified by the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC can be used for these purposes.
  • ACON VA/NC/SC Station Extremes - MARCH 2013
    State
    Maximum Temperature
    Minimum
    Temperature
    Warmest
    Average
    Temperature
    Coldest
    Average
    Temperature
    Maximum
    Precipitation
    Minimum
    Precipitation
    Virginia
    80°
    Lynchburg
    16°
    Blacksburg
    Bridgewater
    45.0°
    Norfolk (ORF)
    35.8°
    Blacksburg
    5.70"
    Mechanicsville
    2.11"
    Hampton
    North Carolina
    83°
    Fayetteville
    20°
    Greensboro
    49.7°
    Wilmington
    41.9°
    Asheville
    3.44"
    Charlotte
    1.17"
    New Bern
    South Carolina
    86°
    Florence
    22°
    Anderson
    52.9°
    Charleston
    47.0°
    Greenville-Spartanburg
    4.07"
    Charleston
    2.49"
    Florence


    ( For an explanation of column headers in the following tables,
    please note the column denotations table below. )


    TEMPERATURE / WINDS/ ELEMENTS FOLLOWED BY
    PRECIPITATION / BAROMETRIC PRESSURE

    VIRGINIA | NORTH CAROLINA | SOUTH CAROLINA
    [Reminder: All NWS DATA HEREIN IS NOT OFFICIAL]
      A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    BCB 45.10 26.60 35.80 -5.80 70.0 16 16.00 22 0 4 27 0 72% 36 280 19 7.6 1 0 5 3 2 LWX 2400
    BRI 47.60 31.40 39.50 -3.30 61.0 10 16.00 4 0 0 18 0 58% 0 0 0 1 2 LWX 2400
    CHT 50.60 32.50 41.50 -2.70 64.4 10 24.50 23 0 0 17 0 64% 18 020 8 0.8 360 0 0 0 0 0 LWX 2400
    CHO 50.40 31.70 41.00 -4.90 67.0 16 23.00 22 0 0 21 0 35 270 19 5.4   0 0 4 0 4 LWX 2400
    DAN 55.80 31.20 43.50 -5.20 79.0 16 20.00 4 0 0 21 0 55% 40 320 6 7.2 0 0 0 1 0 RNK 2400
    DCA 51.50 36.10 43.80 -3.00 63.0 10 28.00 22 0 0 7 0 52% 48 350 6 10.8 0 0 0 0 0 LWX 2400
    IAD 49.20 31.30 40.20 -4.00 62.0 10 22.00 23 0 0 19 0   44 290 19 9.2 0 0 0 1 3 LWX 2400
    GAV 52.71 31.23 41.97 -9.01 71.0 12 20.00 4 0 0 21 0 64% 37 020 6 2 0 0 4 0 AKQ 2400
    HAM 52.00 35.00 44.00 -5.00 69.0 12 26.00 5,22 0 0 11 0   51 360 10 10.0 360 0 0 0 0 2 AKQ 2400
    HDV 49.40 32.20 40.80 -4.80 63.0 10 24.00 23 0 0 17 0 65% 19 050 4 090 0 0 0 1 0 LWX 2400
    LYH 53.10 30.10 41.60 -4.30 80.0 16 19.00 3,22 0 0 22 0 56% 35 310 19 5.4 0 0 2 2 4 RNK 2400
    NPN 53.10 33.90 43.10 -6.30 69.6 11 24.50 5 0 0 12 0 26 290 8 2.6 290 0 0 0 1 0 AKQ 2400
    FHC 52.30 36.90 44.60 -4.80 70.8 16 29.10 22 0 0 6 0 59% 35 320 6 3.0 202 1 0 0 1 0 AKQ 2400
    NOR 52.40 35.00 43.70 -5.00 71.0 16 26.00 5 0 0 9 0 51 360 6 0 0 0 1 0 AKQ 2400
    ORF 52.90 37.20 45.00 -4.40 72.0 16 27.00 5 0 0 6 0 61% 59 350 6 8.3 0 0 0 0 1 AKQ 2400
    POR 54.10 35.10 44.60 -5.60 72.6 16 25.30 5 0 0 11 0 63% 46 320 6 6.0 308 0 0 0 1 0 AKQ 2400
    CTR 53.20 30.10 41.10 -6.60 73.9 16 21.00 20 0 0 17 0 66% 26 270 19 1.0 310 1 0 0 1 0 AKQ 2400
    MEC 54.22 32.19 43.39 69.0 16 23.00 4 0 0 14 0 2 0 0 4 0 AKQ 2400
    RIC 53.60 33.20 43.40 -5.20 71.0 16 24.00 5 0 0 12 0 59% 48 340 6 8.9 2 0 0 3 3 AKQ 2400
    ROA 51.40 33.10 42.20 -5.10 77.0 16 22.00 22 0 0 13 0 53% 49 310 16 9.1 1 0 1 2 1 RNK 2400
    WAL 50.80 35.00 42.90 -2.10 61.0 11 26.00 23 0 0 8 0 63 030 6 10.7 1 0 0 0 2 AKQ 2400
    WOO 45.90 31.80 38.80 -6.10 63.0 11 22.00 4 0 0 20 0 0 0 1 0 2 LWX 0800
    WSH 47.60 32.10 39.80 -5.01 60.2 10 23.60 4 0 0 16 0 64% 26 050 19 0.9 050 0 0 1 0 0 LWX 2400
    Averages 51.26 32.82 42.01 -4.92 68.72 23.13 0.00 0.17 15.00 0.00 61% 39.6 6.3 0.5 0.6 1.2 1.1
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    AVL 51.8 31.9 41.9 -5.20 77.0 16 22.0 21 0 0 19 0 61% 48 330 6 9.5 0 0 0 0 1 GSP 2400
    MRH 58.0 41.1 49.5 -3.60 69.0 11 31.0 4,22 0 0 2 0 52 320 6 10.7 0 0 0 0 0 MHX 2400
    CLT 58.1 34.0 46.1 -5.10 79.0 16 21.0 3,4 0 0 16 0 57% 37 310 6 6.9 1 0 0 1 1 GSP 2400
    ECG 56.1 35.1 45.6 -4.50 73.0 16 22.0 22 0 0 14 0 63% 46 340 6 10.0 0 0 0 0 3 AKQ 2400
    FAY 60.1 37.0 48.6 -5.70 83.0 16 26.0 22 0 0 8 0 54% 40 320,240 6,25 8.6 0 0 0 0 1 RAH 2400
    GSO 54.7 33.4 44.0 -6.00 77.0 16 20.0 22 0 0 14 0 54% 46 290 6 8.9 1 0 0 1 1 RAH 2400
    HSE 55.5 42.5 49.0 -2.60 72.0 18 34.0 15 0 0 0 0 64% 54 270 6 8.8 0 0 0 0 1 MHX 2400
    HKY 55.2 33.2 44.2 -5.70 79.0 16 23.0 3,22 0 0 18 0 45 280 25 5.5 0 0 0 0 1 GSP 2400
    LBT 59.5 35.5 47.5 -6.60 79.0 16 25.0 4 0 0 15 0 63% 43 290 6 7.6 0 0 0 0 0 ILM 2400
    EWN 60.3 37.9 49.1 -4.40 81.0 16 26.0 22 0 0 9 0 58% 51 310 6 7.6 0 0 0 0 0 MHX 2400
    RDU 55.9 33.9 44.9 -6.70 78.0 16 23.0 22 0 0 14 0 57% 38 330 6 6.0 1 0 0 0 2 RAH 2400
    RAL 57.0 33.0 45.0 -5.70 78.0 16 23.0 4 0 0 20 0 25 6,12,25 0 0 0 0 1 RAH 2400
    ROX 54.2 33.0 43.8 -4.60 76.0 16 21.0 22 0 0 16 0 60% 41 270 6 360 0 0 0 1 0 RAH 2400
    WHI 60.4 36.7 48.5 -4.50 80.8 16 25.4 22 0 0 9 0 60% 31 288 6 3.7 219 0 0 0 1 0 ILM 2400
    ILM 60.8 38.6 49.7 -5.40 79.0 16 29.0 4 0 0 7 0 59% 49 280 6 8.8 3 0 0 0 0 ILM 2400
    Averages 57.2 35.8 46.5 -5.1 77.4 24.8 0.0 0.0 12.1 0.0 59% 43.1 7.9 0.4 0.3 0.8
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    AND 59.2 35.7 47.5 -5.1 78 16 22 4 0 0 14 0   40 280 25 7.2 2 0 0 0 1 GSP 2400
    CAE 63.5 38.5 51.0 -4.6 83 16 24 4 0 0 10 0 54% 49 340 18 7.2 2 0 0 0 0 CAE 2400
    CRE 59.4 39.0 49.2 -5.0 80 16 28 22 0 0 0 0 62% 76 090 29 7.2 3 0 0 0 1 ILM 2400
    CHS 64.3 41.4 52.9 -5.2 82 16 27 4 0 0 4 0 46 260 18 8.7 2 0 0 0 1 CHS 2400
    FLO 62.5 37.6 50.1 -5.5 86 13 25 4 0 0 10 0 55% 40 270 6 7.9 3 0 0 0 0 ILM 2400
    GSP 58.4 35.5 47.0 -5.9 78 16 26 22,26 0 0 16 0 56% 36 230 16 6.8 3 0 0 1 1 GSP 2400
    OGB 62.4 39.6 51.0 -5.6 81 16 28 4 0 0 6 0 46 300 18 6.9 1 0 0 0 1 CAE 2400
    Averages 61.4 38.2 49.8 -5.3 81.1 25.7 0.0 0.0 8.6 0.0 57% 47.6 7.4 2.3 0.7
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    STN A B C C1 D E F G H I J K K1 L M N N1 N2 O P Q R R1 CWA TIME RECORDED
    TRI 50.3 31.1 40.7 -6.0 72 10,16 16 22 0 0 20 0 42 240 5,25 6.7 1 0 0 0 0 MRX 2400
    DAV 33.6 19.5 26.5 60 11 8 22 0 18 29 0 PBX 2400
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    BCB 3.32 -0.32 0.56 12 0.56 12 13 0 12.42 3.5 24 18 1 4.9 22.0 RNK 2400
    BRI 3.30 0.63 1.00 6 1.04 17-18 7 1 9.04 10.0 6 3 16.5 22.0 30.230 9 29.450 23 29.880 LWX 2400
    CHT 3.11 -0.27 1.22 12 1.22 12 7 1 8.69 3.0 25 5 2 6.6 9.5 30.359 9 29.525 25 29.979 LWX 2400
    CHO 2.82 -0.84 1.32 12 1.32 12 8 1 9.26     29.530 25 LWX 2400
    DAN 2.55 -1.56 0.72 12 0.72 12 9 0 12.36 T 6,24,25 3 0 0.6 1.7 30.340 9 29.550 25 RNK 2400
    DCA 2.80 -0.68 1.03 6 10.30 6 8 1 7.00 1.4 25 6 1 1.6 2.6 29.530 25 LWX 2400
    IAD 3.16 -0.22 1.16 12 1.16 12 8 1 8.49 3.3 6 10 2 7.4 10.5     29.530 25 LWX 2400
    HAM 2.11 -2.10 0.49 6 0.64 5-6 14 0 10.20 T 21,24,25 3 0 T 3.0 30.360 10 29.300 6 29.980 AKQ 2400
    GAV 5.54   2.24 6 2.62 5-6 11 1 12.86 3.9 24 6 2 9.6 14.2 30.320 9,10 29.430 6 29.970 AKQ 2400
    HDV 3.79 0.11 1.29 12     8 2 9.22 4.2 6 7 2 8.2 12.1 30.350 9 29.510 25 AKQ 2400
    LYH 3.31 -0.27 0.71 24 0.71 24 10 0 10.94 5.0 24 5 3 9.5 12.9 30.360 9 29.550 25 RNK 2400
    NPN 3.36 -0.85 0.75 6 0.98 5-6 9 0 14.29 1.7 24 2 1 1.7 5.9 30.340 10 29.290 6 AKQ 2400
    FHC 2.32 -1.36 0.62 6 0.81 5-6 9 0 9.14 T 21 1 0 T 1.2 30.336 10 29.297 6 29.973 AKQ 2400
    NOR 2.60 -1.47 0.75 6     9 0 10.71 T   2 0 T 1.8 AKQ 2400
    ORF 2.50 -1.18 0.75 6 0.75 6 9 0 10.06 T 21,24 3 0 T 1.8 30.330 10 29.290 6 AKQ 2400
    POR 2.75 -1.27 0.76 6 0.92 5-6 9 0 10.71 T 21 1 0 T 2.7 30.340 10 29.310 6 29.971 AKQ 2400
    CTR 4.26 1.82 0.97 6 1.51 5-6 9 0 13.29 1.0 6 3 1 3.1 9.5 30.310 10 29.390 6 29.925 AKQ 2400
    MEC 5.70 2.59 6 2.62 6-7 10 1 12.99 3.0 6,25 2 2 6.0 10.9 AKQ 2400
    RIC 5.57 1.53 2.10 6 2.10 6 10 1 13.50 3.8 24 6 2 5.4 8.6 30.350 10 29.400 6 AKQ 2400
    ROA 3.40 -0.06 0.83 24 0.83 24 10 0 12.69 5.0 24 10 2 8.0 17.3 30.390 9 29.550 25 RNK 2400
    WAL 4.67 0.67 2.42 6 2.42 6 12 1 12.91 T 2,6,17,18,21,24 6 0 T 8.4 30.360 10 29.250 6 AKQ 2400
    WOO 3.36 0.20 0.91 24-25 17 0 9.22 8.6 24-25 6 4 21.2 32.2 30.380 9 29.580 25 LWX 0800
    WSH 4.44 0.03 2.02 6 2.21 5-6 11 1 9.85 19.0 6 12 5 31.8 42.7 30.410 9 29.570 25 LWX 2400
    Averages 3.51 -0.36 1.20 1.73 9.9 0.5 10.86 3.5 5.9 6.8 11.5 30.345 29.442 29.954
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    AVL 3.32 -0.51 0.84 11 1.01 11-12 12 0 15.46 0.3 20 9 0 0.3 0.5 30.350 9 29.510 24 GSP 2400
    MRH 1.92 -2.28 1.05 12 1.05 12 6 1 10.22 0.0   0 0 T T 30.320 29 29.410 24 MHX 2400
    CLT 3.44 -0.57 0.76 24 0.87 11-12 10 0 11.19 T 2,6 2 0 2.7 2.7 30.360 29 29.550 24 GSP 2400
    ECG 1.76 -2.22 0.63 6 0.63 6 7 0 6.81 T 6,21 2 0 T T 30.340 10 29.360 6 AKQ 2400
    FAY 1.67 -1.88 0.69 24 0.69 24 9 0 7.31       29.540   RAH 2400
    GSO 2.85 -0.88 0.89 24 0.89 24 9 0 11.52 T 25 1 0 T 3.6 29.540   RAH 2400
    HSE 2.22 -2.55 1.22 12 1.22 12 6 1 11.95       0.0 0.0     29.430   MHX 2400
    HKY 3.27 -0.97 0.66 11 1.21 11-12 8 0 12.63         30.330 9 29.520 25 GSP 2400
    LBT 1.88 -1.45 0.72 24 0.72 24 7 0 7.45             30.350 29 29.490 24 ILM 2400
    EWN 1.17 -3.22 0.85 12 0.85 12 5 0 7.31     0 0 0.0 T 30.330 29 29.470 24 MHX 2400
    RDU 2.95 -1.16 0.87 31 0.87 31 6 0 10.13     0 0 0.0 1.7 29.540   RAH 2400
    RAL 3.11 -0.92 0.92 11-12 8 0 10.05   0 0 3.2 30.330 11 29.600 26 RAH 2400
    ROX 3.02 -0.81 0.82 24 0.82 24 8 0 11.03 0.2 6 1 0 0.2 5.6 30.380 9 29.540 6 30.060 RAH 2400
    WHI 2.39 -1.49 0.93 24 0.93 24 6 0 7.57     0 0 0.0 T 30.350 29 29.468 24 30.011 ILM 2400
    ILM 2.44 -1.77 1.13 24 1.13 24 7 1 9.71     0 0 0.0 T 30.340 29 29.420 24 ILM 2400
    Averages 2.49 -1.51 0.86 0.92 7.60 0.20 10.02 0.08 0.4 1.4 30.344 29.493
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    AND 3.78 -0.57 1.24 24 1.24 24 9 1 12.82       30.360 9 29.550 24 GSP 2400
    CAE 3.65 -0.08 1.57 24 1.57 24 6 2 10.37     0 0 0.0 T 30.360 29 29.540 24 CAE 2400
    CRE 3.18 -0.74 1.61 24 1.61 24 7 1 8.24     30.350 29 29.430 24 ILM 2400
    CHS 4.07 0.60 3.00 24 3.00 24 6 1 14.89     0 0 0.0 T 30.360 29 29.470 24 CHS 2400
    FLO 2.49 -0.84 1.24 24 1.24 24 6 1 9.01 30.350 29 29.510 24 ILM 2400
    GSP 3.52 -1.00 1.17 24 1.17 24 10 1 12.67 T 2 1 0 T 2.0 30.340 9 29.550 25 GSP 2400
    OGB 3.06 -0.92 1.35 24 1.35 24 6 1 11.22 30.370 29 29.530 24 CAE 2400
    Averages 3.39 -0.51 1.60 1.60 7.14 1.14 11.32 0.0 0.7 30.356 29.511
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED
    TRI 4.62 1.18 1.23 5 1.23 5 14 1 16.47 0.7 25 9 0 1.5 6.7 30.390 8 29.36 24 MRX 2400
    DAV 5.01 0.86 5     28 0 15.56 11.1 6 24 15 68.9 221.8 PBX 2400
    Averages
    STN T T1 U U1 V V1 W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 6A 7 7A 8 CWA TIME RECORDED


    Virginia:

    Arlington - " MARCH TYPICALLY SIGNIFIES A TRANSITION FROM WINTER COLD TO SPRING WARMTH FOR WASHINGTON DC...BUT WINTER OVEREXTENDED ITSELF THIS YEAR. TEMPERATURES THIS MARCH WERE COLDER THAN NORMAL. THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 43.6F DEGREES MADE IT THE COLDEST MARCH SINCE 2005. THE MONTHLY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 51.5F WAS THE SECOND COLDEST FOR MARCH IN THE PAST 20 YEARS /MARCH 2005 WAS ONLY 0.3F DEGREES COOLER THAN THIS MARCH/ AND THE 10TH COLDEST FOR MARCH SINCE OFFICIAL WASHINGTON DC OBSERVATIONS WERE MOVED TO REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT IN 1945. MARCH 2013 WAS THE FIRST MARCH SINCE 1958...AND THE SEVENTH MARCH SINCE WASHINGTON DC TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1872...WITH NO 65-DEGREE OR HIGHER DAYS THE ENTIRE MONTH. COMPARE THAT TO LAST MARCH...WHEN THE MOST 65-DEGREE OR HIGHER DAYS /18/ IN MARCH WERE RECORDED. WASHINGTON DC ALSO EXPERIENCED THEIR WARMEST MARCH ON RECORD LAST YEAR. THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 39F DEGREES ON THE 25TH WAS THE LATEST OCCURRENCE IN SPRING WITH A SUB-40F DEGREE DAY AT DCA SINCE 1971 /MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 38F DEGREES OCCURRED ON 26 MARCH 1971/. PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF THE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION FELL IN ASSOCIATION WITH A STRONG COASTAL STORM THAT IMPACTED THE AREA ON THE 6TH. THE 1.6 INCHES OF SNOW RECORDED THIS MARCH WAS MORE THAN THE 2012-13 SEASONAL SNOWFALL TOTAL PRIOR TO MARCH 1 /1.5 INCHES WAS MEASURED PRIOR TO MARCH/. REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT MEASURED 1.4 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE 25TH... WHICH SNAPPED A 788-DAY STREAK WITHOUT AN INCH OF SNOW RECORDED ON A CALENDAR DAY THAT DATED BACK TO 27 JANUARY 2011. THE PREVIOUS LONGEST STRETCH ON RECORD WITHOUT A DAY OF ONE INCH OR MORE OF SNOW WAS 700 DAYS FROM 5 FEBRUARY 1975 THROUGH 4 JANUARY 1977. " - [ - - ] - Notes from NWS Sterling, VA

    Bridgewater - Clayton adds: " I don't ever remember having three snowstorms in March. We had more snow in March . We have had more snow in this month during the first week when we were pelted with 24 inches in storms. This is the most March snow in the last 20 years. First March snow in the last 20 years. Probably, we won't get any more snow this spring, but we have had three snows in April during the past 50 years. " - [ - + ]

    Chantilly - Russ sends these additional notes: " Coldest March in two decades with above average snowfall and overall precipitation slightly below the norm. The mean monthly temperature was 41.5° (-2.7°). The mean high temperature was 50.6° (-4.9°) and the mean low temperature was 32.5° (-0.4°). March precipitation was 3.11" (-0.27"). When snow lovers had all but given up on snow, we had the threat of a major winter storm. Winter Storm Warnings went up across the region, schools and the Federal government closed, but at this site, though the most we received all winter, it was still only 3.0". We had snow on the 5th (0.1"), 6th (new record 2.6"), 18th (0.9"), 24th (T), and 25th (new record 3.0"). Monthly snowfall totaled 6.6" (+3.8"). This winter, we received 9.5" of snow. Maybe next year, snow lovers. *Please note, anemometer is currently partially obstructed from the North and East " - [ - - ]

    Dulles - from NWS Sterling (KLWX): " MARCH TYPICALLY SIGNIFIES A TRANSITION FROM WINTER COLD TO SPRING WARMTH FOR DULLES...BUT WINTER OVEREXTENDED ITSELF THIS YEAR. TEMPERATURES THIS MARCH WERE COLDER THAN NORMAL. THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 40.2F DEGREES MADE IT THE COLDEST MARCH SINCE 1996 AND THE 8TH COLDEST MARCH SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1962. THE COLDEST MARCH ON RECORD WAS 1984 WHEN THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 37.5F DEGREES. THE MONTHLY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 49.2F WAS THE COLDEST FOR MARCH SINCE 1993 AND THE 5TH COLDEST FOR MARCH ON RECORD. THE COLDEST MARCH ON RECORD WAS 1984 WHEN THE MONTHLY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE WAS 47.6F DEGREES. MARCH 2013 WAS ONLY THE SECOND YEAR ON RECORD WITH NO 65-DEGREE OR HIGHER DAYS IN MARCH /2001 WAS THE OTHER/. COMPARE THAT TO JUST LAST YEAR...WHEN THE MOST 65-DEGREE OR HIGHER DAYS /20/ IN MARCH WERE RECORDED. DULLES ALSO EXPERIENCED THEIR WARMEST MARCH ON RECORD LAST YEAR. THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 39F DEGREES ON THE 25TH WAS THE LATEST OCCURRENCE IN SPRING WITH A SUB-40F DEGREE DAY AT DULLES SINCE 2001 /A MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 38F DEGREES OCCURRED ON 26 MARCH 2001/. PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS NEAR NORMAL. JUST OVER ONE-THIRD OF THE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION FELL ON THE 12TH WHEN A STRONG COASTAL STORM IMPACTED THE AREA. THE 7.4 INCHES OF SNOW RECORDED THIS MARCH WAS WELL ABOVE THE 1981-2010 MONTHLY NORMAL. IT WAS ALSO THE SNOWIEST MARCH SINCE 1999...THE 9TH SNOWIEST MARCH ON RECORD...AND THE SNOWIEST MONTH SINCE JANUARY 2011. TWO DAILY MAXIMUM SNOWFALL RECORDS WERE SET THIS MONTH. ON THE 6TH...3.3 INCHES OF SNOW BROKE THE PREVIOUS DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD OF 0.2 INCHES IN 1989. ON THE 25TH...3.2 INCHES OF SNOW BROKE THE PREVIOUS DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD OF 1.2 INCHES IN 1990. 2013 WAS ONLY THE THIRD YEAR ON RECORD WITH MULTIPLE DAYS IN MARCH OF THREE INCHES OR MORE OF SNOWFALL /1984 AND 1999 ALSO RECORDED TWO SUCH DAYS IN MARCH/. " - [ - - ]

    Glen Allen - Lowell crunches the data and sends this report: " March was the coolest and second wettest on record at Glen Allen as the monthly mean temperature was 42.0 °F, a -9.0 °F departure based on a 4-year average. March’s average was 4.8 °F cooler than any of the other March months and 16.3 °F cooler than March 2012. Glen Allen had 21 days the minimum temperature was <=32 °F; last year had only 3 days and the previous record was 9 days. The highest of the minimum temperatures for the month was 47 °F and that was 6 °F below the previous record set in 2011. The maximum temperature for March was 71 degrees F on the 12th and in 2012 Glen Allen had 6 days that the maximum temperature was 80 °F or more. The 5.54 inches of precipitation for March was a +1.40 inch departure on the 4 year average. The maximum rainfall recorded in a day was 2.24 inches on the 6th. The most precipitation in a 24-hour period was 2.62 inches, which was also a new record for March. This record was 0.84 inches more than the previous record set in 2010. The total snowfall was 9.6 inches for the month a new record for March. The previous record was 9.5 inches recorded in 2009. This month’s total was a +6.7 inch departure. We had lightning seven times during the morning snow and sleet storm of March 6th. The maximum wind gust during March was 35 mph and that occurred on the 6th at 1714 hours from the NNE. A bolide meteor was seen at about 1954 in NE sky-it started out white about 3/4 size of the moon with a white tail almost looking like a comet and quickly faded to a deep green and dimmed rapidly as it faded below the horizon-all this took place in about 3 seconds. " - [ - + ]

    Herndon - Randy reports: " March was well-below normal for temperature and slightly above for precipitation. The temperatures ranged between a high of 63 and a low of 24 (note that 63 was the lowest high temperature for my site of over 20 years). The average high temperature of 49.4 degrees was also the lowest I have ever recorded. We averaged 4.8 degrees below normal for the month. On the precipitation side, the month was 0.11” above normal with 3.79” measured. We had several days of very wet snow and some sleet during the month, and received a total of 8.2” for a total of 12.1” for the year. I measured 4.2” on the 6th and 3.5” on the 25th. " - [ - + ]

    Portsmouth - " MARCH 2013 WAS THE COLDEST MARCH IN THE STATION DATABASE TO 1977 The top 5 coldest Marchs include: 1) 44.6° 2013 2) 44.9° 1981 3) 45.8° 1996 4) TIE 45.9° 1980 & 1984. March's average temperature of 44.6° was 5.6° BELOW NORMAL. (second month in a row with below normal average temps) Precipitation (2.75") was BELOW NORMAL by 1.27" or 68% of the normal March average during the period from 1976 to 2012. Rainfall for the year-to-date at the end of March 31st was 10.71" (-0.12") and 99% of normal. Cold frontal passages occurred on the 6th, 12th, 17th, 18th, 21st, and the 25th, with a noteworthy warm frontal passage on the 31st. FROST was recorded on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th. STATION RECORDS: 6TH - WIND GUST 46mph [previously 43mph 1989], 16TH - WIND GUST 36mph [previously 35mph 1994], 21st - TEMPERATURE Minimum High 41° [previously 1986], 24th - TEMPERATURE Minimum High 44° [previously 1983], and 24th - SNOWFALL TRACE [never on this date in March database to 1977] - [ - - ]

    Chesterfield - from Albert Arnold: " Thundersnow storm on 3/6/13"

    Richmond - from Lowell Koontz in nearby Glen Allen: " The average maximum temperature for March was 53.6 °F; only 13 years were colder since 1880. Last year March’s average maximum temperature was the second warmest. The average minimum temperature for March was 33.2 °F; only 25 years were colder since 1880. The mean temperature for March was 43.4 °F and only 20 years were colder since 1880. The mean temperature for March was -5.2 °F below the 30-year mean temperature for March. This March had 2 days that the high temperature was greater than or equal to 70 °F but 2012 had 19 days. This March had 12 days that the temperature was 32 °F or less; last year it was only 3 days. The highest overnight minimum for the month was 44 °F on the 31st and only 3 March months have had a lower temperature. (1958, 42°F), (1941, 42°F), (1915, 38°F) This March was the coldest since 1996. The only daily March record was a record high precipitation amount for March 6 which is now 2.10 inches. The previous record was 1.75 inches set in 1932. Only 7 years since 1872 have had more precipitation in one day in March than the 2.10 inches of precipitation that occurred on March 6th. The total precipitation for March was 5.57 inches and only 21 years have had more precipitation in March since 1872. The total snow for March was 5.3 inches only 17 years had more snow in March since 1898. - [ - + ]

    North Carolina:

    Greensboro - NWS Raleigh adds: " THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON MARCH 22 AT THE PIEDMONT TRIAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 20 DEGREES...WHICH BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF 22 DEGREES...PREVIOUSLY SET IN 1986. " - [ - - ]

    Raleigh - Bob reports: " THE WEATHER HEADLINE FOR MARCH WAS COLD! THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 5.7 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. (THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE DURING MARCH 2012 WAS 9.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL). PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS 0.92” BELOW NORMAL. THE GOOD SIDE CONCERNING THE COLD WEATHER WAS THAT NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OBSERVED. " - [ - - ]

    Whiteville - Christopher sends this note: " To say it was “cold” is the understatement of the lifetime. Just as everyone else on the East Coast suffered from well-below-normal temps, North Whiteville, N.C., was no different. We had frost/freeze warnings posted on 5 different mornings; a very hard frost was noted on March 22. " - [ - - ]

    Nearby Locations:

    TRI-CITIES - from NWS Raleigh RAH: " Tri-Cities received 4.62 inches of precipitation in March, which was 1.18 inches above normal. It ranked as the 18th wettest March on record. Measurable precipitation occurred on 14 days and 5 of those days had more than one-quarter of an inch of precipitation. The heaviest precipitation fell on the 5th when 1.23 inches of precipitation was reported. In addition, a precipitation record was broken on the 24th when 0.78 inches of precipitation was recorded, breaking the previous record of 0.64 inches set in 1980. The wettest March of the 73 years of observations taken at Tri-Cities was in 1955 when 9.56 inches of precipitation was recorded. The monthly-averaged temperature at Tri-Cities in March was 40.7 degrees, which was 6.0 degrees below normal. In addition, a low temperature record was tied on the 22nd when the temperature dipped to 16 degrees tying the record set in 1986. The coldest March at Tri-Cities was back in 1960 when the average temperature was 33.5 degrees. " - [ - - ]



    COLUMN DENOTATIONS:

    A  maximum mean temperature T total precipitation (inches)
    T1 departure from normal
    B  minimum mean temperature U maximum calendar day precipitation (inches)
    C  monthly mean temperature
    C1 departure from normal
    U1 date of maximum calendar day precipitation
    D  maximum temperature V date(s) of maximum daily precipitation
    E  date(s) of maximum temperature V1 maximum 24-hour precip. & date(s)
    F  minimum temperature W number of days with precip. >= .01"
    G  date(s) of minimum temperature  X number of days with precip. >= 1.0"
    H  days with maximum temperature >=90 Y year-to-date precipitation (inches)
    I  days with maximum temperature <=32 Z maximum calendar day snowfall (inches)
    J  days with minimum temperature <=32 VRB Variable
    K  days with minimum temperature <= 0 1 date of maximum calendar day snowfall (inches)
    K1 average relative humidity 2 number of days with snowfall
    L  peak wind gust (miles per hour)  3 number of days with snowfall >= 1.0"
    M  direction of peak wind gust 4  total snowfall for month (inches)
    N  date(s) of peak wind gust  5 total snowfall for 2012-2013 season (inches)
    N1   average wind speed (miles per hour) 6 maximum barometric pressure (inches)
    N2 dominant wind direction 6A date of maximum barometric pressure
    O  number of days with thunder  7 minimum barometric pressure (inches)
    P  number of days with hail 7A date of minimum barometric pressure
    Q  number of days with glaze 8   average sea-level pressure
    R  number of days with ice pellets STN  Station
      NR not recorded
    R1 number of days with dense fog [1/4 mile and less visibility] (i) incomplete data
    S  local observation time for temps/precipitation (M) missing, if listed in data table
     ~ "about" E estimated
     +  additional indeterminate number of days CWA - NWS Office County Warning Area



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    National Weather Service Web Sites & Current Email Addresses
    Within or Nearby the ACON VA/NC/SC Area Can Be Found At:

         NWS Washington/Baltimore, VA/MD
         NWS Wakefield, VA
         NWS Blacksburg, VA
         NWS Raleigh, NC
         NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC
         NWS Wilmington, NC
         NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
         NWS Columbia, SC
         NWS Charleston, SC
         NWS Morristown, TN

         National Weather Service Homepages

         National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC

    STATION / LOCATION (MILES & DIRECTION FROM MAIN POST OFFICE)/OBSERVER / YEAR RECORDS BEGAN / EMAIL ADDRESS:

      
    AKQ    Wakefield, VA NWS Wakefield Municipal Airport 36-58-53N 077-00-04W 33M  
    DCA    Arlington, VA Washington, DC, Reagan Washington National Airport 38-50-54N 077-02-03W 18M WSH   Washington, VA  David Yowell runamok@runamok.com
    BCB    Blacksburg, VA NWS Virginia Tech Airport 37-13N 080-25W   
      WOO  Woodstock, VA 5NW Lauck Walton 12/1/85 jwalton@shentel.net
       LDY Ladysmith, VA Danny Jessee 2003 STATION CLOSED 8/31/2010 danny@dannyjessee.com
    BRI     Bridgewater, VA Clayton Towers Ctowers19@aol.com WAL   Wallops Island, VA 37° 56'26" N 75° 27'47" W Wallops Flight Facility Airport
    CEN  Centreville, VA Paul Bassett 1985, 38° 50.9788' N LAT. 77° 25.6374' W LON. | Elevation 324' | m.psb@verizon.net AVL    Asheville, NC  Asheville Regional Airport 35-25-55N 082-32-15W 670M
    CHO   Charlottesville, VA  Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport ASOS  (Rappahannock County) 38-08-18N 078-27-21W 192M MRH    Beaufort, NC  Michael J. Field Airport 34-44-01N 076-39-38W 3M
    DAN  Danville, VA, Danville Regional Airport, 36-34-22N 079-20 10W 175M  CLT    Charlotte, NC NWS Charlotte/Douglas International Airport 35-12-48N 080-56-55W 220M
    IAD   Dulles - Washington-Dulles International Airport  38-56-05N 077-26-51W 93M   
    FCH    Falls Church, VA Erica Page 3/7/94 Windie1970@aol.com HKY  Hickory, NC 
    HAM    Hampton, VA 5NE Dave Kessel 1989 davidkessel@cox.net ECG  Elizabeth City, NC,  Coast Guard Air Station 36-15-47N 076 10-58W 11M
    LYH     Lynchburg, VA NWS Lynchburg Regional Airport 37-19-15N 079-12-24W 295M ILM     Wilmington, NC NWS New Hanover International Airport 34-16-06N 077-54-22W 9M
    CTR  Winterpock in Chesterfield County, VA Albert Arnold 06/03 FAY  Fayetteville, NC Fayetteville Regional Airport, 34-59-22N 078-52-48W 55M
      GSO   Greensboro, NC NWS Piedmont Triad International Airport 36-05-51N 079-56-37W 275M
    CHT   Chantilly, VA Russ Topping -  12/2006  russ.topping@gmail.com - new location December 2006 HSE    Cape Hatteras, NC  Mitchell Field 35-13-56N 075-27-21W 3M
    HDV    Herndon, VA  Randoplh W. Ashby, 3.3 SM South, Lat: 38.922127, Lon: -77.38015, Elev: 390'. Randolph_Ashby@Raytheon.com LBT    Lumberton, NC  Lumberton Municipal Airport 34-36-26N 079-03-36W 37M
    GAV - Glen Allen, Henrico County, VA - Lowell Koontz  8/1/08  wwkoontz@verizon.net EWN    New Bern, NC  Craven County Regional Airport 36-04-03N 077-02-50W 3M
      MON    Moncure, NC  Chatham County - Mac McIlwain mac.mcilwain@embarqmail.com
      RAL    Raleigh, NC 7NNW  Bob Woodson -  6/1/93 kf4mmm@qsl.net
    LKU     Louisa, VA 1N Joseph Bowers 1944 - NWS ID  44-5050-02 STATION CLOSED RDU   Raleigh-Durham, NC Raleigh-Durham International Airport 35-52-14N 078-47-11W 130M
    LOU     Louisa, VA 6S John Bullock (about 1970) STATION CLOSED ROX    Roxboro, NC 2SE Merriell A. Jay 1/93
         WHI   North Whiteville, NC Christopher Crawley 12/10 34.413744N / 078.751908W
    LYH     Lynchburg, VA NWS Lynchburg Regional Airport 37-19-15N 079-12-24W 295M ILM     Wilmington, NC NWS New Hanover International Airport 34-16-06N 077-54-22W 9M
    NEW    Newmarket, VA 2W Joyce Winfree STATION CLOSED 5/31/10 joywood@shentel.net CHS   Charleston, SC NWS Charleston Air Force Base 32-53-56N 080-02-26W 13M
    NPN     Newport News, VA 7N Gary Leonard -  6/91 GaryMLeonard@aol.com CAE    Columbia, SC NWS Columbia Metropolitan Airport 33-56-31N 081-07-05W 73M 
    NOR     Norfolk, VA 3NE Jim Fentress 6/1/77 FLO    Florence, SC Florence Regional Airport 34-11-16N 079-43-51W 44M
    ORF     Norfolk, VA 5NE 36-54-13N 076-11-31W 14M  1871 GSP   Greenville-Spartanburg, SC NWS Greenville-Spartanburg Airport 34-53-02N 082-13-15W 286M 
    POR     Portsmouth, VA 36.81° North 76.33° West 3S Bill Trotter -  7/1/76 wxr@cox.net CRE    North Myrtle Beach, SC Grand Strand Airport 33-48-42N 078-43-26W 10M
    MEC     Mechanicsville, VA Glen Martin 11/19/91 OGB   Orangeburg, SC  Orangeburg Municipal Airport 33-27-50N 080-51-13W 59M
    FHC    Norfolk, VA  Fred Heutte Center 36° 54'N 76° 16'W 01/01/03 fhcgarden@cox.net AND   Anderson, SC 
    RIC     Richmond, VA Richmond International Airport 37-30-40N 077-19-24W 50M TRI     Tri-cities, TN  (Bristol / Johnson / Kingsport), Tri-City Regional Airport 36-28-47N 082-23-56W 474M 
    ROA    Roanoke, VA Roanoke Regional Airport 37-19-01N 079-58-27W 362M DAV  Davis, WV Dave Lesher canaanwx@yahoo.com