NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

MARCH 2024

3-9: Substantial precipitation fell in most areas east of a line from central Texas to Lake Michigan, with many Southern locations receiving more than 4 inches.

heavy rain in portions of the Gulf and Atlantic Coast States led to record-setting totals for March 4 at Cape Hatteras, NC (3.75 inches), and Baton Rouge, LA (2.59 inches). Elsewhere in Louisiana, New Orleans noted daily-record totals—1.93 and 1.20 inches, respectively—on March 4 and 8. Meanwhile, rain in the Great Lakes States resulted in daily-record amounts of 0.99 inch (on March 5) in Alpena, MI, and 0.71 inch (on March 4) in Green Bay, WI. Meanwhile, snow lingered through the first half of the week in parts of the Northwest. Boise, ID, received 7.4 inches of snow during the first 5 days of March, aided by a daily-record sum of 3.8 inches on the 5th. By mid-week, another round of heavy rain swept across the East, leading to record-setting totals for March 6 in Columbia, SC (2.68 inches), Naples, FL (1.12 inches), and Plattsburgh, NY (0.91 inch). Soon, the focus for heavy precipitation shifted to the nation’s mid-section. By March 7, daily-record rainfall amounts topped an inch in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (2.67 inches), and Vichy-Rolla, MO (1.27 inches). A small area of heavy precipitation on the central High Plains resulted in the snowiest day on record in North Platte, NE, where 15.3 inches fell. Previously, North Platte’s snowiest day was January 18, 2023, with 13.9 inches, while the snowiest March day was March 21, 1894, with 12.6 inches. North Platte received an additional 2.1 inches of snow on March 8, for a 2-day total of 17.4 inches. At week’s end, yet another round of heavy showers swept through the southern and eastern U.S. Record-setting rainfall amounts for March 8 totaled 4.43 inches in Meridian, MS, and 1.41 inches in Tuscaloosa, AL. On March 9, daily-record totals ranging from 2 to 4 inches were observed in locations such as downtown Charleston, SC (3.63 inches), and Macon, GA (2.19 inches). On the same date, record setting totals topped an inch as far north as Mount Pocono, PA (1.94 inches), and Albany, NY (1.05 inches). Near Claxton, GA, the Canoochee River crested late March 10 at 3.29 feet above flood stage. That marked the highest river level in that location since February 20, 2021. Similarly, the Chickasawhay River at Enterprise, MS, rose 7.57 feet above flood stage on March 10, marking the highest crest there since March 7, 2020.

10-16: Active weather gradually shifted southward during the second half of the week, starting across the Midwest and central sections of the Rockies and Plains before ending in the Deep South. Locally severe thunderstorms preceded and accompanied a push of drier air, with activity peaking from southeastern Oklahoma and Texas into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on March 14-15. Based on preliminary reports, the outbreak included more than two dozen tornadoes, one of which resulted in three fatalities in western Ohio. Significant precipitation also fell in other areas—early-week rainfall in the East and late-week mountain snow in the Southwest—but the northern Plains and upper Midwest experienced mostly dry weather. Precipitation also occurred in the Pacific Northwest, mainly from the Cascades westward.

Above-normal temperatures prevailed from the Plains eastward, with weekly readings averaging at least 10°F above normal in most locations from the upper Midwest into the Great Lakes region. Cooler-than-normal conditions, with temperatures locally averaging as much as 5°F below normal, were generally confined to the Southwest. March 11 featured a high of 70°F in Fargo, ND—the earliest 70-degree reading in that location (previously, 75°F on March 15, 2015). On the same date, high temperatures surged to 80°F in Sioux City, IA, and Sioux Falls, SD. Those were not the earliest 80-degree readings, but very close, as records remain March 6, 2017, in Sioux City, and March 7, 2000, in Sioux Falls. Elsewhere on the 11th, daily-record highs included 79°F in Norfolk, NE, and 74°F in Rochester, MN. By March 12, warmth reached the Great Lakes region, where daily-record highs soared to 72°F in Green Bay, WI, and 70°F in Gaylord, MI. Elsewhere in Michigan, record-setting highs for March 13 included 73°F in Detroit and 72°F in Muskegon. Warmth also briefly shifted into the Northeast, where daily-record highs in New York for March 13 rose to 72°F in Syracuse and 62°F in Watertown. Lingering warmth in the upper Midwest allowed Rochester, MN, to tally a trio of daily-record highs (74, 69, and 68°F) from March 11-13. During the second half of week, however, record-setting temperatures retreated into the South. By March 14, daily-record highs included 89°F in Shreveport, LA, and 85°F in Montgomery, AL. With a high of 87°F, Savannah, GA, posted a daily-record high for March 15. At week’s end, unusual warmth appeared in the Northwest, where consecutive daily-record highs occurred on March 15-16 in Washington locations such as Quillayute (73 and 80°F) and Olympia (64 and 74°F). Quillayute’s 80-degree reading was also a monthly record, surpassing 79°F on March 20, 2019. Heavy rain lingered through March 10 in Maine, where daily-record totals included 2.39 inches in Portland and 1.56 inches in Augusta.

Heavy rain lingered through March 10 in Maine, where daily-record totals included 2.39 inches in Portland and 1.56 inches in Augusta. Windy weather trailed the departing Eastern storm system, with mid Atlantic wind gusts on March 10 clocked to 58 mph in Roanoke, VA, and 53 mph in Baltimore, MD. The next day, a gust to 55 mph was recorded in Binghamton, NY. Meanwhile, there was a final round of precipitation in the Pacific Northwest, with North Bend, OR, netting a daily-record sum (1.88 inches on March 10). At mid week, wet snow developed across the central Rockies and adjacent High Plains. In Colorado, March 13-15 snowfall totaled 12.9 inches in Colorado Springs and 5.7 inches in Denver. On the 14th, as rain changed to snow, Pueblo, CO, experienced its wettest March day on record, with 1.53 inches (and 2.5 inches of snow). Previously, Pueblo’s wettest day during March had been March 18, 1998, with 1.26 inches. Numerous 3- to 5-foot snowfall totals were noted in the Colorado Rockies, with Aspen Springs in Gilpin County receiving 61.5 inches. Meanwhile, Flagstaff, AZ, received snowfall totaling 11.4 inches from March 13-16. On March 14, heavy rain erupted across the mid-South and lower Midwest, with daily-record totals in Arkansas topping 3 inches in Little Rock (3.59 inches) and Jacksonville (3.40 inches). Burlington, IA, also collected a record setting sum for March 14, with 2.63 inches. Farther east, an EF-3 tornado with a path length of more than 25 miles cut across portions of Indiana’s Delaware and Randolph Counties on March 14, with winds in Winchester, IN, estimated as high as 165 mph. The tornado, on the ground for at least 36 minutes from 7:37 to 8:13 pm EDT, also resulted in more than three dozen injuries before crossing into Ohio and lifting. The previously mentioned deadly tornado in western Ohio was also rated EF-3, with the fatalities and some of the most significant damage observed in the Lakeview area of northwestern Logan County. On March 15, El Dorado, AR, endured its wettest March day on record, with the daily total of 6.31 inches surpassing the mark of 5.85 inches set on March 28, 1914. Elsewhere, as snow blanketed higher elevations of the Southwest, Las Vegas, NV, closed the week on March 15-16 with consecutive daily-record rainfall totals of 0.35 and 0.36 inch, respectively.

 

17-23: Rain lingered at times across the South, with some of the heaviest showers occurring on March 21 in the western Gulf Coast region. The storm system responsible for that rain later intensified along the Atlantic Coast, delivering late-week downpours in many areas from Florida to Maine. Late in the week, another pattern change resulted in scattered to widespread rain and snow showers returning across the West. Eventually, two Western storm systems translated eastward, with the first producing a stripe of snow from Montana to Michigan on March 20-22. The second, stronger storm began to produce significant Northwestern precipitation by March 23. Additional impacts from that system carried into the week of March 24-30 and will be covered next week. Early-week Southern showers resulted in daily-record rainfall totals in locations such as Lafayette, LA (1.83 inches on March 17), and Key West, FL (2.25 inches on March 19).

Farther west, snow began to overspread Montana on March 20, when Glasgow reported a daily-record sum of 2.8 inches. At least a trace of snow fell in Glasgow each day from March 20-24, totaling 9.3 inches. By March 24, a narrow stripe of snow across the Great Lakes region resulted in daily-record totals in Grand Rapids, MI (6.5 inches), and Rockford, IL (5.6 inches). Farther south, heavy showers on March 21 in the western Gulf Coast region produced daily-record totals in Texas locations such as Houston (1.63 inches) and Victoria (1.48 inches). By March 22, heavy rain shifted into southern Florida, where daily-record amounts reached 3.47 inches in West Palm Beach, 2.52 inches in Fort Lauderdale, and 2.34 inches in Miami. With 1.93 inches on the 22nd, Key West secured its second daily-record total of the week. As the week ended, heavy snow developed in northern New England, where record-setting amounts for March 23 included 8.6 inches in Burlington, VT, and 6.1 inches in Bangor, ME. Elsewhere in the East, torrential rain on the 23rd led to the wettest March day on record in locations such as New York’s LaGuardia Airport (3.47 inches; previously, 3.15 inches on March 22, 1977, and March 13, 2010) and Philadelphia, PA (3.09 inches; previously, 2.79 inches on March 15, 1912. Additionally, daily-record rainfall for the 23rd topped 3 inches in New York’s Central Park (3.66 inches); Bridgeport, CT (3.31 inches); and Newark, NJ (3.10 inches). Finally, late-week precipitation arriving in the Northwest led to daily-record totals for March 23 in Washington locations such as Omak (0.84 inch), Ellensburg (0.62 inch), and Wenatchee (0.43 inch).

24-30: A powerful spring storm delivered widespread precipitation, including upper Midwestern snow. Streaks of heavy rain (locally 2 inches or more) affected the South, East, and lower Midwest. Despite the active pattern, most areas escaped with only scattered reports of severe thunderstorms.

Late in the week, heavy rain in coastal California led to some flash flooding and debris flows, especially in areas where hillsides had already been compromised by late-winter deluges. However, the Western moisture also padded high-elevation snowpack, which ended the season with near- or above-average water equivalency except in Montana, Washington, northern Idaho, and northeastern Wyoming.

The late-week storm system, which approached the Pacific Northwest before veering southward, produced enough rain in coastal California to cause a major landslide on the Pacific Coast Highway, south of Monterey, on the afternoon of March 30. In various parts of central and southern California, some hillside destabilization had already occurred during the winter of 2022-23 and earlier this year. Heavy precipitation also fell in southern California, where daily-record totals for the 30th included 1.86 inches in Long Beach, 1.73 inches in downtown Los Angeles, 1.56 inches in Sandberg, 1.30 inches in San Diego, and 1.15 inches in Santa Barbara. Two days earlier on the 28th, Northwestern daily-record totals reached 1.71 inches in Hoquiam, WA, and 0.55 inch in Boise, ID. Earlier, the week had begun with active weather underway across the Midwest. From March 21-24, snowfall totaled 14.3 inches in Eau Claire, WI, and 11.3 inches in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. Through March 20, season-to-date snowfall had totaled just 16.4 inches (34 percent of normal) in Eau Claire and 14.3 inches (31 percent) in Minneapolis-St. Paul. A large percentage of the Midwestern spring snow fell on March 24, when daily record totals included 10.0 inches in Eau Claire and 8.2 inches in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Farther south, daily-record totals for March 24 included 1.52 inches in Wichita Falls, TX; 1.46 inches in Sioux City, IA; and 1.03 inches in Grand Island, NE. The rain in Grand Island was followed by 2.2 inches of snow on March 25-26. By March 25, heavy showers spread into the mid South, where record-setting rainfall totals reached 3.01 inches in Fort Smith, AR; 2.83 inches in Greenville, MS; and 2.76 inches in West Plains, MO. During the mid- to late-week period, precipitation became focused across the East and West. In the Pacific Coast States, daily-record amounts for March 27 included 0.61 inch in Portland, OR; 0.42 inch in Alturas, CA; and 0.33 inch in Ephrata, WA. Meanwhile, heavy rain soaked the Atlantic Seaboard, with precipitation intensity peaking on March 28. On that date, record-setting totals reached 3.06 inches in Norfolk, VA; 1.84 inches in New Bern, NC; 1.83 inches in Salisbury, MD; and 1.63 inches in Islip, NY.

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com