March Summary

The month started out with somewhat tranquil conditions as a cold front approached the state from the northwest.  The front brought some rain showers along with a significant drop in temperatures once the front passed.  Temperatures fell into the single digits for many parts of the state.  On the 5^th another cold front brought a period of rain to mainly northwest sections as it moved through the state by the 6^th.  A low-pressure system associated with this front brought all areas a period of snow except the southeast, which experienced rain.

From the 7^th through the 9^th the state had little precipitation with clear skies and low temperatures.  On the 10^th temperatures were in the mid 20’s after a front passed, temperatures remained low with mostly clear skies until the 14^th.  At that time an area of showers affected the southeast portion of the state but cool/clear conditions returned and remained until the 17^th.  Pennsylvania experienced a prolonged period of warm conditions as temperatures surged into the 60’s for much of the state.  Unfortunately this was short-lived and by the 20^th a particularly strong storm system from the southwest brought rainfall to most of the state.  By the 22^nd the storm had cleared with a passage of a cold front leaving temperatures in the 40’s.  These conditions remained until the 26^th when the state again experienced showers due to a frontal passage.  At the end of the month temperatures reached the 60’s once again, but by the 30^th they fell into the 40’s with a frontal passage, giving the state a prolonged period of light rain with some wet snow in the mountains to close the month.

Extremes