Portsmouth Weather Records Service
 

Local Climatological Data
*Data Are Subject to Correction by PWRS

 Station:  PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA
Month:   MARCH Year: 2002
Latitude: 36° 81' N    Longitude: 76° 33' W
Station Elevation: 20 FT 
Standard Time: EASTERN STANDARD TIME

 
 
Temperature
Degree Days
Precipitation
 Wind
 Sky
Weather
Date
Max
Min
Mn
Dep
HDD
CDD
Total
Snow
Depth
Avg
Dir
GUST
  
Types
1
56
24
40.0
-4
25.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
2.8
W
NE 15
SU
COLD
2
60
29
44.5
-3
20.5
 
0.54
0.0
0.0
4.5
SE
S 21
PC
RA BR
3
68
52
60.0
+13
5.0
 
0.01
0.0
0.0
7.2
S
S 20
C
SHRA MILD
4
52
29
40.5
-6
24.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
8.1
N
W 24
PC
FROPA
5
50
23
36.5
-12
28.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
4.8
WSW
WSW 21
SU
 
6
63
33
48.0
+1
17.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
6.9
SSW
S 19
SU
 
7
73
42
57.5
+10
7.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
5.0
SSW
WSW 19
PC
MILD AFTERNOON
FU (EVE)
8
73
41
57.0
+10
8.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
2.8
SE
SE 14
-PC
+FG FU
9
76
51
63.5
+16
1.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
6.7
S
S 22
PC
BREEZY MILD
10
66
44
55.0
+8
10.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
9.4
W
W 30
PC
FROPA BREEZY
11
53
38
45.5
-2
19.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
5.3
NNE
NNE 18
SU
CHILLY
12
57
44
50.5
+3
14.5
 
0.31
0.0
0.0
1.7
NE
W 12
C
SHRA BR
13
61
52
56.5
+6
8.5
 
0.63
0.0
0.0
3.3
N
N 22
C
SHRA BR FROPA
14
66
50
58.0
+7
7.0
 
T
0.0
0.0
4.7
N
WNW 16
PC
BR -SHRA
15
77
49
63.0
+12
2.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
6.3
S
SSW 22
PC
BR +FG MILD AFT
16
83
49
69.5
+20
 
4.5
0.02
0.0
0.0
6.8
SSW
N 26
PC
BR BREEZY
WARMER SHRA
FROPA
17
56
47
51.5
+1
13.5
 
1.17
0.0
0.0
7.7
NE
NNE 27
C
BR RA COLDER
18
51
47
49.0
-1
16.0
 
0.39
0.0
0.0
5.8
N
N 18
C
BR RA 
COLD DAMP
19
51
46
48.5
-1
16.5
 
T
0.0
0.0
5.2
NNE
N 18
C
BR -SHRA
20
66
46
56.0
+8
9.0
 
0.29
0.0
0.0
5.4
S
WSW 21
C
BR SHRA FROPA
21
55
47
51.0
0
14.0
 
0.03
0.0
0.0
5.0
N
N 17
PC
-SHRA BR
22
48
30
39.0
-10
26.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
9.3
N
N 37
PC
FROPA COLD WINDY
23
54
27
40.5
-8
24.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
4.8
SSW
WSW 25
SU
COLD AM FROST
24
70
38
54.0
+2
11.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
5.5
S
SSW 26
SU
PLEASANT
25
69
52
60.5
+9
4.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
6.2
NE
WSW 19
-PC
FROPA
26
72
53
62.5
+10
2.5
 
0.21
0.0
0.0
6.4
S
S 26
PC
+FG(AM) SHRA
27
64
42
53.0
0
12.0
 
0.85
0.0
0.0
5.9
N
S 26
PC
BR SHRA 
TSRA FROPA
28
55
38
46.5
-8
18.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
5.4
N
N 20
SU 
COOL
29
70
39
54.5
-3
10.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
4.3
S
S 15
SU
 
30
77
60
68.5
+10
 
3.5
T
0.0
0.0
8.2
S
WSW 24
PC
BREEZY MILDER -SHRA
31
67
52
59.5
+3
5.5
 
1.04
0.0
0.0
5.4
NE
N 23
C
FROPA SHRA
TSRA BR

 
Temperature Data
AVERAGE HIGH :  63.2º     DEPARTURE:      +  3.3º
AVERAGE LOW :  42.6º     DEPARTURE:       + 2.6º
MEAN:                52.9º     DEPARTURE:       + 2.9º

HIGHEST: 83° on the 16th
LOWEST: 23º on the 5th

Number of Days:
00 - MAX 100º OR ABOVE
00 - MAX 32º OR BELOW
00 - MAX 90º OR ABOVE
06 - MIN 32º OR BELOW
00 - MIN 0º OR BELOW

Heating Degree Days
TOTAL THIS MONTH:  383.0 from 29 days
SEASONAL TOTAL:   2495.5

Cooling Degree Days
TOTAL THIS MONTH:  8.0 from 2 days
SEASONAL TOTAL:   16.5

NUMBER OF:

09 - Days Cloudy
14 - Days Partly Cloudy
08 - Days Clear or Sunny

15 - Days with Fog/Ground Fog
03 - Days with Dense Fog

01 - Days with Frost

02 - Days with Thunderstorms
03 - Thunderstorms

00 - Days with some type of Snowfall

 Precipitation Data
TOTAL FOR THE MONTH:   5.49"
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL:  + 1.20" or 128%
GREATEST DAILY: 1.17" on the 17th
GREATEST IN 24-HR PERIOD: 1.19" on the 17th  & 18th
AVERAGE DAILY: 0.18"
NORMAL DAILY:   0.14"
# DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION:  12 or 38.71%
YEAR-TO-DATE: 12.05"  DEPARTURE: + 0.41" or 104% of the norm

MAXIMUM FOR MARCH:  10.96" in 1994 -->  (since
MINIMUM FOR  MARCH:   0.89" in 1986 -->  1977)
NORMAL FOR  MARCH:  4.20" 

Snowfall, Ice Pellets
TOTAL FOR THE MONTH: 0.0"
GREATEST IN 24 HOURS: 0.0" on the --
GREATEST DEPTH ON GROUND: 0.0" on the --
MARCH MAX = 14.0" in 1980

Number of Days:
WITH 0.01" OR MORE PRECIP: 12
WITH 0.10" OR MORE PRECIP: 9
WITH 0.50" OR MORE PRECIP: 5
WITH 1.00" OR MORE PRECIP: 2

Pressure Data
HIGHEST SEA-LEVEL:  30.601" on the 1st
LOWEST SEA-LEVEL:  29.704" on the 3rd

Wind
PEAK WIND GUST: 37 mph from the N on the 22nd
AVERAGE SPEED: 5.70 mph from a dominant N direction

 
  • MARCH STATION RECORDS: 
  • 5th - Minimum Temperature - 23° [previously 24° in 1978]
  • 12th - Daily precipitation - 0.31" [previously 0.20" in 2000]
  • 16th - Maximum Temperature TIED - 83° [previously set in 1990]
  • 28th - Daily precipitation - 0.85" [previously 0.53" in 2000]
  • 31st - Daily precipitation - 1.04" [previously 0.78" in 1983]
    		•

    YEAR-TO-DATE 2002 through 3/31/02

    Temperature Data
    AVERAGE HIGH :  58.7º   DEPARTURE:   +5.1º
    AVERAGE LOW :  37.4º   DEPARTURE:   +2.3º
    MEAN:                48.1º   DEPARTURE:   +3.8º

    HIGHEST: 83° on the 16th of March
    LOWEST:  23º on 5th of January & the 5th of March

    Number of Days:
    00 - MAX 100º OR ABOVE
    00 - MAX 32º OR BELOW
    00 - MAX 90º OR ABOVE
    36 - MIN 32º OR BELOW
    00 - MIN 0º OR BELOW

    Heating Degree Days
    TOTAL:  1538.0

    Cooling Degree Days
    TOTAL:  16.5

    NUMBER OF:

    014 - Days Cloudy
    056-  Days Partly Cloudy
    020 - Days Clear or Sunny

    031 - Days with Fog/Ground Fog
    003 - Days with Dense Fog

    12 - Days with Frost

    02 - Days with Thunderstorms
    03 - Thunderstorms

    04 - Days with some type of Snowfall

    		 Precipitation Data
    TOTAL:  12.05"
    DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL:   + 0.41" or 104%
    GREATEST DAILY: 1.72" on the 19th of January
    GREATEST IN 24-HR PERIOD: 1.86" on the 19th & 20th of January
    AVERAGE DAILY: 0.13"
    NORMAL DAILY: 0.13"
    # DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION:  31 or 34.44%

    MAXIMUM:  5.49" in March
    MINIMUM:   1.63" in February

    Snowfall, Ice Pellets
    TOTAL: 9.2"
    GREATEST IN 24 HOURS: 9.0" on January 2nd - 3rd
    GREATEST DEPTH ON GROUND: 9.0" on January 3rd

    Number of Days:

    WITH 0.01" OR MORE PRECIP: 31
    WITH 0.10" OR MORE PRECIP: 21
    WITH 0.50" OR MORE PRECIP: 09
    WITH 1.00" OR MORE PRECIP: 04

    Pressure Data
    HIGHEST SEA-LEVEL: 30.601" on March 1st
    LOWEST SEA-LEVEL:  29.450" on January 6th

     
    PWRS DENOTATIONS: SU/CL = Clear sky; PC = Partly cloudy sky; C = cloudy sky; NA, not available; NR, not recorded; TEMP, temperature; MAX, maximum; MIN, minimum; T, trace of precipitation; INOP, inoper- ative equipment; MPH, miles per hour; DN, departure from normal; DEP, departure; YR, year; NORM, normal; DST LTG, distant lightning; FROP or FROPA, frontal passage; AM morning; AFT afternoon hours; EVE evening hours; PM evening hours; E estimated; VBL, variable wind directions; TS, tropical storm;

    METAR DENOTATIONS


    BC   Patches
    BL   Blowing 
    BR   Fog with visibilites > 5/8 but <=6 statute miles and
    below to 5/8 mile
    DU   Dust (widespread)
    DS   Duststorm
    DZ   Drizzle
    FC   Funnel Cloud
    FC+  Tornado/waterspout
    FG   Fog with visibility <= 5/8 statute miles
    FU   Smoke 
    FZDZ Freezing drizzle
    FZRA Freezing rain
    FZFG Freezing fog
    GR   Hail
    GS   Small hail 
    HZ   Haze
    IC   Ice crystals 
    PL   Ice pellets
    PY   Spray
    RA   Rain
    SA   Sand
    SS   Sandstorm
    PO   Sand or dust whirls
    SG   Snow granules    		 SH   Shower 
    SHRA Shower of rain
    SHSN Shower of snow
    SHPE Shower of ice pellets
    SHGR Shower with hail
    SHGS Shower with small hail
    SM   Statute miles
    SN   Snow
    SQ   Squalls
    TS   Thunderstorm
    TSGR Thunderstorm with hail
    TSGS Thunderstorm with small hail
    TSPE Thunderstorm with ice pellets
    TSRA Thunderstorm with rain
    TSSN Thunderstorm with snow
    UP   Unknown precipitation
    VA   Volcanic ash
    VC   Vicinity
    V V   Used for obscurred sky

    METAR Qualifiers: (now placed in FRONT of code)

    -  Light     + Heavy      DR Low drifting    M  Below ( -x.x degrees)
                                           MI Shallow     PR Partial