Weather Pattern Near Normal In March

The extremely dry weather pattern throughout the winter took a bit of a break in March, as Broadus received precipitation in four separate instances throughout the month. Though the moisture average remained below normal, at 0.46” compared to a “normal” amount of 0.78”, the change in weather patterns is a welcome sign. Broadus only received 0.64” of precip during meteorological winter compared to an average of 1.45”, with 19% of that total falling the last few days of February.

Meteorological winter is the three calendar months with the lowest average temperature which people in the northern hemisphere normally associate with winter (December, January, and February). That is in comparison to Astronomical winter which for some reason is still used by some weatherpeople, beginning at the winter solstice and running through the spring equinox (they are still used because the seasons are consistent wherever one is located, where meteorological seasons are based more on the reality of life in our locale).

The high temperature in Broadus was 70, on March 18th and 19th, and dropped down to 5, on March 26th. The average temperature for the month of 37.2 degrees was 0.4 degrees below average. Strangely enough, the average high was just under a degree warmer than usual, but the average low was over a degree colder than usual.

At the Biddle 8 miles SW station the temp topped out at 69, on March 18th, and dropped to 6 on March 26th. That station had 3 inches of measurable snowfall on the month, and 0.48” of moisture in total.

The Moorhead 9 miles NE station topped out at 69 on March 18th, and fell to 6 on the 26th. That station had 4.2” of snow in March, and 0.29” of total precipitation.

At Fort Howes, the high temp for the month was 69 on the 18th, and fell to 7 on the 26th. That station had 0.26” of moisture on the month. Winds were relatively steady, with 16 days of winds gusting 20-30 mph, and an additional three days of winds 30-37 mph.

Volborg measured 0.45” of precipitation in March, with it all coming down March 24th and 25th.

The Powderville 8 miles NNE station had 4.8” of snowfall in March. They topped out at 69 on the 18th and bottomed out a 6 on the 26th, marking surprisingly consistent high and low temperature marks throughout the Greater Powder River County area.