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Marching on to April

mar tdpt map

March average temperatures ranged from 1°F below normal to more than 4°F above normal.

March temperatures averaged out to be near or above normal for most of the Northeast, with some areas in New England being more than 4°F warmer than normal. At the 35 major climate sites, March average temperatures ranged from 0.4°F below normal in Allentown, PA, to 3.4°F above normal in Worcester, MA, with 33 of the sites experiencing a warmer-than-normal March. In fact, this March ranked among the 20 warmest on record for 10 major climate sites.

mar temps chart

This March ranked among the 20 warmest on record for 10 major climate sites.

mar sdpt map

March snowfall ranged from 12 inches below normal to more than 16 inches above normal.

Two notable storms moved through the Northeast in March including a mid-month nor’easter that dumped feet of snow on parts of New York and New England. These areas saw a snowfall surplus, with some running more than 16 inches above normal for the month. Outside of those areas, March snowfall was generally below or near normal, with the largest deficits of up to 12 inches in the higher elevations of southwestern Pennsylvania and western Maryland. March snowfall at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 8.1 inches below normal in Boston, MA, to 9.0 inches above normal in Albany, NY, with 28 of the sites seeing a snowfall deficit. This March ranked among the 20 least snowy on record for two major climate sites but among the 20 snowiest for three other major climate sites.

mar snow chart

This March ranked among the 20 least snowy on record for two major climate sites but among the 20 snowiest for three other major climate sites.

mar pdpt map

March precipitation ranged from 25% of normal to 200% of normal.

March precipitation varied, ranging from 25% of normal in parts of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and West Virginia to 200% of normal in parts of New York. March precipitation at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 37% of normal in Baltimore, MD, to 152% of normal in Erie, PA. This March ranked among the 20 driest on record for four major climate sites but among the 20 wettest for two other major climate sites. With increasing precipitation deficits, below-normal streamflow, and declining soil moisture, moderate drought was introduced in Maryland and abnormal dryness expanded in the southeastern corner of the region.

mar precip chart

This March ranked among the 20 driest on record for four major climate sites but among the 20 wettest for two other major climate sites.

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, April is expected to be wetter than normal for interior areas from West Virginia to northern New York. Equal chances of below-, near-, or above-normal precipitation were predicted for the rest of the Northeast. Meanwhile, above-normal temperatures are favored for the Mid-Atlantic, portions of New York, and parts of southern New England. The rest of the region falls into the equal chances category.

apr precip outlook map

For April, there’s a slight tilt toward above-normal precipitation for interior locations shaded green including parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York.

apr temp outlook  map

Above-normal temperatures are favored for April in areas shaded orange, particularly southern portions of the region such as West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.