March started out like a tamed lion this year, during which time we experienced above average temperatures and sunshine with below average precipitation and snowfall. The temperatures averaged 43.0 degrees, 5.8 degrees per day above the average, tying the record average high set in 1946 for the month of March. This is also 4.9 degrees above last year’s average. Maximum temperature was 73.0 degrees on the 21st and a minimum temperature of 20.0 degrees was recorded on the 6th. Daytime high temperatures averaged 51.5 degrees, 6.3 degrees above the norm. Evening temperatures averaged 35.2 degrees, 6.0 degrees above the norm. Winds can be a big factor in March, yet this year we only had 2 days with damaging winds and a peak gust of 49 mph.
Sunshine totaled 44% of the possible sunshine hours, 2 points below the norm, and 5 points below last year. Sunshine data are from the Blue Hill Observatory. Year-to-date sunshine for 2012 is 54% of the possible, 3 points above the normal at this time of year.
Precipitation totaled 1.81 inches. This is 2.75 inches below normal and is the 4th lowest rainfall recorded for the month of March in East Wareham. In the 85 years of record keeping in East Wareham, there have been only 6 years in which March has had less than 2 inches of rain. We had measurable precipitation of 0.10 inches or greater on 5 days. The largest 24-hour rainfall was 0.96 inches on the 1st. Most of the monthly rainfall came in the first three days of the month. We have received a total of 6.26 inches of rainfall year-to-date, totaling 6.56 inches below average for East Wareham. If we look at the past 5 months, we are 8.52 inches below the average rainfall. We had just 1 day with measurable snowfall during the month, totaling 0.3 inches, 4.4 inches below average. Snowfall for the month of March will also come in as the 10th lowest in the records in East Wareham. The 2011–2012 winter season snowfall recorded in East Wareham is now at 15.1 inches, 15.2 inches below the seasonal average.