The month of March was relatively uneventful and lacked any sort of real weather drama.  What was notable was the dry conditions and unseasonably warm temperatures that dominated for the most part.

March started out considerably colder than normal with the first five days of the month seeing temperatures around 20 degrees below normal.  A light shot of snow was recorded on the fourth of the month, a reading that would be our biggest snowfall for the period.

Temperatures began to turn warmer on the sixth with above normal readings recorded through the 16th of the month.  We even managed two 80+ degree days on the 15th and 16th.

• March 2015 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Denver actually saw its earliest 80 degree reading in history on the 16th.  The previous earliest 80 degree reading occurred on March 18, 1907.

Unsettled conditions interrupted the warmth on the 25th with a light snowfall and colder temperatures.

We then bounced right back to the dry, mild conditions for the balance of the month.

Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 44.9 degrees.  This was well above the long term Denver average of 40.4 degrees.  Out at DIA, the Mile High City’s reading was very similar at 45.0 degrees.

Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 82.6 degrees on the 16th down to a low of 9.2 degrees on the 5th of the month.  At the airport, Denver’s maximum for the month of 81 degrees came on the 16th with its lowest of 2 degrees on the 5th.

Denver officially broke two temperature records in March 2015.  On March 6th the high temperature of 79 degrees broke the record high for the date (previously 76 degrees set in 2013).  Also, on the 16th, the high temperature reading of 81 degrees was a record (previously 75 degrees in 2012).

In terms of precipitation, the rain bucket totals fell well short of the March average of 0.92 inch.  Here in Thornton a mere 0.49 inches was recorded while Denver saw quite a bit more with a measurement of 0.79 inches.

March is historically our snowiest month but that was certainly not the case in 2015.  Thornton snowfall totally only 2.8 inches and Denver was at 2.9 inches. Both were well below the average of 10.7 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s March 2015 climate report.

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
633 AM MDT WED APR 1 2015

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2015...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2015

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              84   03/26/1971
 LOW              -11   03/28/1886
HIGHEST            81   03/16/2015                    73  03/09
LOWEST              2   03/05/2015                     4  03/02
AVG. MAXIMUM     58.9              54.4     4.5     55.8
AVG. MINIMUM     31.2              26.4     4.8     25.9
MEAN             45.0              40.4     4.6     40.9
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      2               1.9     0.1        2
DAYS MIN <= 32     12              23.6   -11.6       23
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.1    -0.1        0 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
 RECORD
  MAXIMUM         4.56   1983
  MINIMUM         0.03   2012 
TOTALS           0.79              0.92   -0.13     0.83 
DAILY AVG.       0.03              0.03    0.00     0.03 
DAYS >= .01         5               5.9    -0.9        9
DAYS >= .10         3               2.4     0.6        2
DAYS >= .50         0               0.3    -0.3        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.1    -0.1        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.34   03/19 TO 03/19

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS            2.9              10.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     611               763    -152      739
 SINCE 7/1       4724              5202    -478     5258
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
........................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.9
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   3/198
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    36/260    DATE  03/23
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    45/260    DATE  03/23

SKY COVER
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           12
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             12
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          7

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     51

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN                5     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       4
LIGHT SNOW                3     SLEET                      0
FOG                       7     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      4
HAZE                      4

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

The month of February was quite generous in terms of snowfall pushing our seasonal total thus far above normal.  The month of March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to those numbers.  While there is good snow potential in March, the month also typically brings much warmer temperatures.

March is historically Denver’s snowiest month and brings about 20% of our annual snowfall.  Heavy, wet spring snow storms can oftentimes bring the entire month’s snowfall total in one monstrous snow.

We also start the transition to spring and severe weather season and the month typically brings our first thunderstorms of the year.  Temperatures climb throughout the month and by the end our average daytime highs are near 60 degrees.

For a complete look at what lies ahead in March 2014, click here.

Looking back at the month of March we see a period of relatively uneventful weather in the Denver area.  Temperatures were near normal as was the amount of liquid precipitation, this despite the fact we saw well below normal snowfall.

The month started very cold with the first two days failing to record readings above freezing and some light snowfall.  That did not last long however and four mild days followed.  A weak system then moved in with a couple more shots of snow over a three day period.

Entering the second week of the month temperatures moderated and we saw some of our warmest readings of the month.  Light snow on the 12th fell but did not cool things down too much.

• March 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Two more very light snowfalls occurred in the last 10 days of the month while temperatures overall remained at or above normal.

Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 41.1 degrees, 0.7 degrees above the Denver average for March of 40.4 degrees.  Out at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw an average monthly temperature of 40.9 degrees.

Our warmest temperature for the month occurred on the 9th when the mercury climbed to 75.0 degrees.  The coldest reading of 3.8 degrees happened on March 2.  Denver’s warmest and coldest temperatures were on the same days with readings of 73 degrees and 4 degrees.

Two days, the first and the second, saw high temperatures below freezing.  Low temperatures below freezing occurred on 22 of the 31 days.  Denver saw similar readings.

In terms of liquid precipitation, Thornton recorded 1.06 inches.  This was a bit above Denver’s March average of 0.92 inches.  Denver was drier than normal recording 0.83 inches.

The near normal precipitation came despite the fact we saw much less snow than normal.  March is typically our snowiest with an average of 10.7 inches of the white stuff.  Thornton saw a mere 6.5 inches and Denver 6.0 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s March 2014 climate report.

CLIMATE REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
725 PM MDT TUE APR 1 2014

..............CORRECTED FOR TYPOS FOR THE FOLLOWING.................
.....TEMPERATURES...SNOWFALL DEPARTURES AND PEAK WIND DIRECTION.....

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2014...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              84   03/26/1971
 LOW              -11   03/28/1886
HIGHEST            73   03/09        84     -11       76  03/15
LOWEST              4   03/02       -11      15        2  03/25
AVG. MAXIMUM     55.8              54.4     1.4     50.7
AVG. MINIMUM     25.9              26.4    -0.5     24.6
MEAN             40.9              40.4     0.5     37.7
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      2               1.9     0.1        3
DAYS MIN <= 32     23              23.6    -0.6       24
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.1    -0.1        0 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) 
RECORD
  MAXIMUM         4.56   1983
  MINIMUM         0.03   2012 
TOTALS           0.83              0.92   -0.09     1.47 
DAILY AVG.       0.03              0.03    0.00     0.05 
DAYS >= .01         9               5.9     3.1        6
DAYS >= .10         2               2.4    -0.4        4
DAYS >= .50         0               0.3    -0.3        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.1    -0.1        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.32   03/07 TO 03/07           03/22 TO 03/22
                                                          03/22 TO 03/22
                                                          03/22 TO 03/22
 STORM TOTAL       MM                                 MM
 (MM/DD(HH))            MM                    03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)
                                                 03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)2
                                                 03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)2

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL             MM   5
TOTALS            6.0              10.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     739               763     -24      840
 SINCE 7/1       5258              5202      56     5112
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
...................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              11.5
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   3/247
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    45/350    DATE  03/18
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    55/350    DATE  03/18

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            6
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             18
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          7

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     50

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       2
LIGHT RAIN                3     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          1     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       6
LIGHT SNOW               10     SLEET                      0
FOG                      12     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      5
HAZE                      5

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

With snowpack lagging and spring set to arrive, hopes were high that March could bring some relief to Colorado’s parched landscape and Mother Nature did oblige.  March 2013 brought above average snowfall and cooler than normal temperatures.

The month started out with near normal temperatures but the first in a series of disturbances throughout the month arrived on the 4th.  A couple of inches was delivered to the area on the date which was followed by a few days of mild weather.

The warmth did not last as another storm system which began a repeating pattern across the month with mild temperatures followed by periods of cold and snow.

Thornton’s overall average temperature for the month came in at 38.3 degrees.  At Denver’s official weather station at Denver International Airport the month averaged 37.7 degrees.  Both locations’ average temperatures were below the March historical average (1981 to 2010) of 40.4 degrees.

We recorded 25 days with low temperatures dropping below the freezing mark.  Three days saw high temperatures fail to climb above 32 degrees.

Our warmest temperature during March 2013 was a reading of 78.6 degrees on the 15th.  The coldest reading was on the 24th when the mercury dropped to a bone-chilling 2 degrees.  Out at DIA, the warmest reading was 76 degrees on the 15th and the coldest was 2 degrees on the 25th.

In terms of precipitation, Thornton saw 1.45 inches in the rain bucket, almost all from snow.  Denver’s numbers were near identical at 1.47 inches.  Both were well above the March average of 0.92 inch.

Snowfall was the big story for the month as Thornton recorded 20.2 inches of the white stuff.  Out at DIA the Mile High City saw even more as it measured 23.5 inches.  March historically averages 10.7 inches so we were well above normal while the month’s reputation as our snowiest month of the year held true.

The month did come very close to making the list of ‘top 10 snowiest Marches.’  The number 10 spot on that list came in 1981 when 24.0 inches was recorded.

Despite the cold and snow, only one weather record was set during the month.  The 11.6 inches of snow recorded at DIA from the 22nd to the 23rd set a two-day snowfall total record for the date, besting the previous mark of 8.0 inches set in 2010.

Click here to view the ThorntonWeather.com March 2013 Climate Summary

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2013

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              84   03/26/1971
 LOW              -11   03/28/1886
HIGHEST            76   03/15        84      -8       81  03/31
LOWEST              2   03/25       -11      13       16  03/02
AVG. MAXIMUM     50.7              54.4    -3.7     65.5
AVG. MINIMUM     24.6              26.4    -1.8     32.9
MEAN             37.7              40.4    -2.7     49.2
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX = .01         6               5.9     0.1        2
DAYS >= .10         4               2.4     1.6        0
DAYS >= .50         0               0.3    -0.3        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.1    -0.1        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.47   03/22 TO 03/22           03/01 TO 03/02
                                                          03/01 TO 03/01
                                                          03/01 TO 03/01
 STORM TOTAL       MM                                 MM
 (MM/DD(HH))            MM                    03/02(00) TO 03/02(00)
                                                 03/01(00) TO 03/01(00)1
                                                 03/01(00) TO 03/01(00)1

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL             MM   5
TOTALS           23.5              10.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     840               763      77      483
 SINCE 7/1       5112              5202     -90     4863
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST      03/01             10/07
LATEST                          05/05
..................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              10.1
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   1/223
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    38/010    DATE  03/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    47/280    DATE  03/17

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            2
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             20
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          9

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     53

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       0
LIGHT RAIN                1     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                3     SNOW                       5
LIGHT SNOW                8     SLEET                      0
FOG                       9     FOG W/VIS