Preliminary Climate Summary for March: The story of temperature this month in Minnesota is the great range and disparity between northern Minnesota and southern Minnesota. Average monthly temperatures ranged from just 2°F above normal in some northern communities to 7°F in many southern Minnesota communities. Temperatures ranged from -20°F at Seagull Like (Cook County) on the 2nd to 87°F at Sherburn (Martin County) on the 28th. 28th. In fact, that was a new statewide high temperature record on March 28th, to go along with the new statewide high temperatures set earlier this month on the 10th (77°F at Granite Falls) and the 14th (79°F at Winona). Within the statewide long-term climate station network, over 150 new daily high maximum temperature records were set during the month, with several locations reporting highs of 70°F or greater. In addition, over 40 climate stations reported at least one new record warm overnight minimum temperature record being set. Among those long-term ...
Climate roller coaster continues this month: It has already been a wild ride weatherwise through the first three weeks of this March. Statewide extremes have been 79°F at Winona airport on the 14th and -20°F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) on the 2nd. Many maximum daily temperature records have been set this month, including two new statewide records (77°F at Granite Falls on the 10th, and 79°F at Winona airport on the 14th). In addition, a number of snowfall records have been set as well, most notably on March 4th, 5th, 17th, and 18th. Even this week, on Wednesday the 19th, a number of southern Minnesota communities were under a blizzard warning, and several observers reported record daily snowfalls, including: 9.0 inches at Spring Valley (Fillmore County) 7.5 inches at Grand Meadow (Mower County) 7.3 inches at Hokah (Houston County) 6.8 inches at Caledonia (Houston County) 4.0 inches at Albert Lea (Freeborn County) The month has already brought a number of days with Red Flag W...