As we entered into spring, Mother Nature brought a little bit of everything. From blizzard conditions to dust storms to bouts of heavy rain and storms, it was a month that showed a variety of phenomena.
Around mid-March, dust storms were noted across the Plains as strong winds howled. The first dust storm occurred March 15 with another just a few days later on March 18 focused in the Southern Plains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture noted these dust storms added to the stress on pastures and winter crops.
Strong winds also spread many wildfires during the month. March 15 was a particularly dangerous day for fires in Oklahoma as more than 130 fires burned that day.
The strong winds were followed a few days later by blizzard conditions developing across parts of Kansas and Nebraska with several reports of 60- to 75-miles per hour gusts as the snow fell.
Just before that a winter storm in Lincoln, Nebraska, hit a record high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit on March 17. Russell, Kansas, also broke its record high that day (and the following day) as the temperature climbed to 81 and 86 degrees, respectively.
A few days after that record high in Lincoln, temperatures bottomed out at 21 degrees on March 20.
That timeframe had a similar temperature swing for Dodge City, Kansas, too, where a record high of 87 degrees was noted
on March 18, then a low temperature of 22 degrees on March 20.
Looking ahead, above average temperatures are forecast in April for the Southern Plains into southwest Kansas.
Also during April, precipitation is forecast to add up to below normal numbers for Texas, southern Oklahoma, southern Kansas and southwest Nebraska.
Looking out in the longer term, below normal precipitation is expected through June for Texas along with the central and western portions of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.
At that same time, we should see above average temperatures for Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
In the global view, ENSO-neutral conditions are forecast to develop soon, and once that happens, ENSO-neutral should continue into the summer.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note: Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She worked as a television meteorologist for nine years in Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX.
