March 2017 Observations and Discussion

[NEJeremy]

82 here yesterday, 87 in Lincoln, and several sites in Kansas reported 90s for the earliest date ever at 90 degrees.

[Tom]

Noah's Ark Part II????  I mean, that is an insane ensemble run...MO River Valley drought buster....

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs-ens/2017032012/gfs-ens_apcpn_us_64.png

[jaster220]

@ map

 

I know it's 1st of spring, but looking at my 10-day and the only sunnier days have highs in the 30's and 40's, all the others (7) are 50's to low 60's but ofc overcast and/or rain likely. Really was hoping for that dry-n-warm pattern we saw in Jan and Feb to make an encore performance around here. I don't need 85-90+ like some are getting out in the S. Plains, but I'd like something a bit more conducive to outdoor activities and snow pile melting. Still plenty of those around this morning along the coast here.

[Tom]

@ map

 

I know it's 1st of spring, but looking at my 10-day and the only sunnier days have highs in the 30's and 40's, all the others (7) are 50's to low 60's but ofc overcast and/or rain likely. Really was hoping for that dry-n-warm pattern we saw in Jan and Feb to make an encore performance around here. I don't need 85-90+ like some are getting out in the S. Plains, but I'd like something a bit more conducive to outdoor activities and snow pile melting. Still plenty of those around this morning along the coast here.

Unfortunately, I think this will be the theme for the foreseeable future.  I'm hearing the Euro Ensembles don't look that pleasant also through Opening Day of MLB.

[james1976]

Been a wild March. Record lows....record highs....heavy snow.....severe storms. Volatile!

I walked out the door at 6am this morning and it just smelled like spring. We didnt get any rain but it kinda smelled like it.

Beautiful day. 62 right now and sunny and breezy.

[Hawkeye]

It's a very pleasant day over here, the warmest day in a couple weeks.

 

Noah's Ark Part II????  I mean, that is an insane ensemble run...MO River Valley drought buster....

 

That's a pretty-looking map.  We don't need any big drought to blow up over the central US.  We are not dry, but I'd love to see some big soaker systems drop a couple inches and really get everything greened up.

[Tom]

Friday is looking delightful around these parts with temps near 70F!  Hopefully the warm front pushes far enough north so we don't have to worry about any lake breeze.  Tis the season.

[Niko]

Beautiful day outside. Hello Spring!

[Tom]

Snow is flying just N/NW of OMA/DSM right now...winter still hanging on, albeit not much of a wx maker.  Tomorrow will be chilly as my high temps top out in the mid 30's.  Hope that is the last time I see highs in the 30's till next season!

[jaster220]

Snow is flying just N/NW of OMA/DSM right now...winter still hanging on, albeit not much of a wx maker.  Tomorrow will be chilly as my high temps top out in the mid 30's.  Hope that is the last time I see highs in the 30's till next season!

 

You bump your head?? It was snowing on May 16th last year, and while it's NOT last year, this one's played out a lot like it through the warm winter. I'd love for you to be correct, BUT not holding my breath tbh

[Tom]

You bump your head?? It was snowing on May 16th last year, and while it's NOT last year, this one's played out a lot like it through the warm winter. I'd love for you to be correct, BUT not holding my breath tbh

Maybe that was more of a personal observation bc I'm planning on heading to AZ soon!  Need to finish up some work related biz first.  My folks out west have been baking in the heat.  Consecutive days in the low/mid 90's is hot hot hot!  I remember last year I left very early in mid Feb and we roasted in the 90's (earliest 90F day on record was recorded in PHX that month).  That's to warm so I'm excited to hear that the pattern will be cooling off later this week and leading into the month of April.   

[jaster220]

Maybe that was more of a personal observation bc I'm planning on heading to AZ soon!  Need to finish up some work related biz first.  My folks out west have been baking in the heat.  Consecutive days in the low/mid 90's is hot hot hot!  I remember last year I left very early in mid Feb and we roasted in the 90's (earliest 90F day on record was recorded in PHX that month).  That's to warm so I'm excited to hear that the pattern will be cooling off later this week and leading into the month of April.   

 

Dallas hit 92º yesterday and others down there had their earliest 90+ reading since the historical 1930's, so yeah, it's really early hot hot hot. I actually prefer the heat of summer to the bitter cold of winter but neither extreme is fun to deal with. I remember visiting my Mom down in FL years ago in October and the high was 99 and a low of 80 deg's with NO a/c in a double-wide. Ofc, I had lobstered at the beach because I didn't think (know) that Oct sun could burn you, at least down there. Talk about a miserable night of not being able to sleep nor get relief. Ahhh, the good ole days! She finally got enough $$ to have central air installed the last 6 yrs of her life, then she wondered how she'd gone without for 13 yrs

[Tom]

Dallas hit 92º yesterday and others down there had their earliest 90+ reading since the historical 1930's, so yeah, it's really early hot hot hot. I actually prefer the heat of summer to the bitter cold of winter but neither extreme is fun to deal with. I remember visiting my Mom down in FL years ago in October and the high was 99 and a low of 80 deg's with NO a/c in a double-wide. Ofc, I had lobstered at the beach because I didn't think (know) that Oct sun could burn you, at least down there. Talk about a miserable night of not being able to sleep nor get relief. Ahhh, the good ole days! She finally got enough $$ to have central air installed the last 6 yrs of her life, then she wondered how she'd gone without for 13 yrs

Same goes for AZ, in fact, you can still roast in late Nov if your pasty white and spend to much time in the sun!  I don't know how people lived without A/C down in the gulf states back in the day.

 

My cousin lives in DFW and it's been hot to early this season.  I told him a while ago to prep for a warm, if not, hot spring/summer.  Hopefully he gets the storms and moisture to prevent any sustained heat waves.

[ToastedRavs]

Quite a nice surprise this morning. Half dollar sized flakes or bigger falling now. Hard enough rate, even the ground getting white! 41 temp too! (Just outside of Des Moines)

[jaster220]

Same goes for AZ, in fact, you can still roast in late Nov if your pasty white and spend to much time in the sun!  I don't know how people lived without A/C down in the gulf states back in the day.

 

My cousin lives in DFW and it's been hot to early this season.  I told him a while ago to prep for a warm, if not, hot spring/summer.  Hopefully he gets the storms and moisture to prevent any sustained heat waves.

 

I worked in Ft. Worth mid-May through Oct of 2010 and it was DFW's 5th hottest JJA on record. 27 days in August hit 100+ with a peak of 110 about a week before Labor Day. I actually was fine with it, although I will say that my car, apt, and office a/c did work, lol. Occasionally the office a/c unit would literally freeze solid with ice and we'd have to give it a few hrs to thaw but nothing unbearable.   The locals were out vacuming their cars in 3-pc suits on their lunch hour (totally nuts) and the guys at my office from India would hike around the black parking lot on their lunch hour like it was nothing!

[ToastedRavs]

Nws Des Moines reports thundersnow west of Des Moines. Nothing here....Yet! Well besides cotton balls falling. Ground coverage pretty good too

[ToastedRavs]

I just measured a flake that landed on my porch. It was literally 1 1/2" long by 3/4" wide. Not joking. Biggest flakes I can remember

[Tom]

Has anyone been paying attn to the very low sun spot streak of late???  The current 15-day sunspot-less stretch is the longest stretch since April 2010 when we were in the last deep minimum.  Another sign we are heading towards a very deep minimum in 2019-2020.

[NEJeremy]

We only had some light rain and sleet pellets mixed in here in Omaha this morning. Had wind gusts over 30 mph though which wasn't expected according to the forecast

[james1976]

Dang up n down weather! Im ready for it to stay warm.

[Tom]

Local mets forecasting low 70's for Friday...hope it happens bc after that, the pattern looks dreary with daily chances of rain/clouds/storms/etc.  This is the part of Spring in Chicago I don't really care for, esp the D**n pesky lake breezes.

[gimmesnow]

I have a bad feeling this is going to be a long and miserable spring. Cool, rainy, and crappy, with tiny teases of it being warm.

 

I don't like Springs here either Tom. It's the worst. Summer is great with water stuff and what have you, Fall is great because of harvests and things like Octoberfest, Winter is great for winter sports. And then there's spring. Cold, rainy, muddy, awful. Worst part of this spring is we don't even have a nice winter to sit back and reflect on.

[Tom]

I have a bad feeling this is going to be a long and miserable spring. Cool, rainy, and crappy, with tiny teases of it being warm.

 

I don't like Springs here either Tom. It's the worst. Summer is great with water stuff and what have you, Fall is great because of harvests and things like Octoberfest, Winter is great for winter sports. And then there's spring. Cold, rainy, muddy, awful. Worst part of this spring is we don't even have a nice winter to sit back and reflect on.

You couldn't have said it any better.  Big reason why I like going out west for at least a month or more until the pattern is more favorable around these parts.  Ensembles are not really painting a nice picture through the opening week or two of April.

[OKwx2k4]

Noah's Ark Part II???? I mean, that is an insane ensemble run...MO River Valley drought buster....

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs-ens/2017032012/gfs-ens_apcpn_us_64.png

Need this just to get a little above average for march. Not going to bust the drought though. There are wildfires nearby almost every single day now.

[jaster220]

You couldn't have said it any better.  Big reason why I like going out west for at least a month or more until the pattern is more favorable around these parts.  Ensembles are not really painting a nice picture through the opening week or two of April.

 

Called it! (hate when I'm right)  Gotta enjoy my Solar Summer day @ 38º - hey, no bugs!

[Tom]

Called it! (hate when I'm right)  Gotta enjoy my Solar Summer day @ 38º - hey, no bugs!

The days of March '12 are a distant memory.  Over the past few years, by this time I'm in AZ and unable to view the local news wx broadcasts.  I happen to notice that every day over the past week, the daily record highs that were tallied back in 2012 (string of 80's).  That was an incredible stretch.

[Tom]

Both NAM/GFS suggesting a humid airmass on Friday.  Dewpoints in the mid/upper 50's and temps hovering around 70F will feel just fine.

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017032206/gfs_Td2m_ncus_11.png

 

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017032206/gfs_T2m_ncus_11.png

[Tom]

00z EPS...next 15 days...

 

[Money]

If any of you guys want to see a good movie, a dog's purpose is def. up there. Saw it last night and it's really good. Especially if you love dogs..

 

Trailer 

 

[Niko]

Both NAM/GFS suggesting a humid airmass on Friday.  Dewpoints in the mid/upper 50's and temps hovering around 70F will feel just fine.

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017032206/gfs_Td2m_ncus_11.png

 

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017032206/gfs_T2m_ncus_11.png

 

Bring it on, I actually miss the humidity .I am really looking forward to some nasty storms. So far, nothing down the road.

[Niko]

Today feels more like Winter. Hopefully, this is the last of our cold snaps. Yesterday was gorgeous.

[Tom]

Greenland Block will keep things cooler and unsettled around these parts next week into the first part of April...

 

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/pna/nao.sprd2.gif

[Tom]

Can't wait for tomorrow's Spring-time warmth and sunshine.  An unsettled pattern will take over through the weekend and that means a huge spread in temps which is typical this time of year for Chi.

 

 

[jaster220]

Can't wait for tomorrow's Spring-time warmth and sunshine.  An unsettled pattern will take over through the weekend and that means a huge spread in temps which is typical this time of year for Chi.

 

 

 

I spy your 4 fave words "cooler near the lake" on the extended. Enjoy tomorrow though! I was in Chicago enjoying that first 70º back on Feb 18th - what winter day! Overall, only 1 day forecasted below normal, certainly have had worse colds, but the "tween" seasons stuff has gotten too much play time this year. A mostly useless March for a whopping 4" of snowfall isn't worth it if you ask me.

[james1976]

Currently in a severe tstorm warning.....and its only 39°. Crazy. Its been active severe season already.

[NEJeremy]

Currently in a severe tstorm warning.....and its only 39°. Crazy. Its been active severe season already.

Did you get any hail?

[Tom]

Surprised how loud these boomers are over my place right now.  Small cell whizzing on by.  Some small hail falling right now!

[gosaints]

Had hail here as well

[Madtown]

Pea sized hail here earlier...not a ton of Thunder

[VMB443]

We were just put under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning - said up to two inch hail west of here.