March began with well below normal temperatures through the first week. A number of systems moved through during this period, with gusty winds and snow reaching the ground for three of the days, but amounts were very light. Temperatures slowly rose to near or above normal on the 12th. Through the 12th light rain was observed on all but one day.
This pause in the below normal temperatures lasted only for a couple of days, with another front bringing yet another round of arctic air into the region moving in on the 14th. This front brought the wettest day of the month, with 0.64 inches of rain and an average temperature that was ten degrees below normal. High pressure then remained over the region with a thermal trough along the coast bringing offshore flow and warming day by day quickly to bring temperatures back to near normal just a few days later on the 17th.
Temperatures remained near normal with several fronts moving through, bringing light precipitation and gusty winds. Several of these fronts had strong southeasterly winds that spilled in from the Shasta Valley.
The last week of the month saw yet another round of arctic air with successive systems and well below normal temperatures, underlining the abnormally cool month. From the 24th through the 27th average temperatures ranged from eight degrees below normal on the 26th, to eleven degrees below normal on the 27th, which was the most below normal average temperature of the month.
The average temperature for the month was 42.5 degrees, which is 5.8 degrees below normal. The average maximum temperature was 52.5 degrees, which is 6.9 degrees below normal. The average minimum temperature was 32.4 degrees, which is 4.8 degrees below normal. The highest temperature for the month was 64 degrees which occurred on the 21st. The lowest temperature for the month was 24 degrees which occurred on the 6th.
There were 4 clear days, 14 partly cloudy days, and 13 cloudy days.
Total precipitation for the month was 1.92 inches which is 0.11 inches above normal. Total precipitation for the water year (beginning October 1st) is 10.03 inches which is 3.82 inches below normal. Calendar year precipitation is 3.46 inches which is 3.03 inches below normal.
The average wind speed for the month was 4.5 mph. The fastest recorded two-minute wind speed was 33 mph from the southeast which occurred on the 9th. The peak wind was 45 mph from the southeast which occurred on the 28th.
The highest pressure for the month was missing. The lowest pressure for the month was 29.36 inches on the 9th.
Source: NWS Medford
