Jeff Masters: Record March heat wave sets more records

Record Midwest March heat wave topples more records


by Dr. Jeff Masters, wunderblog, March 16, 2012


For the second consecutive day, large portions of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, including the cities of Chicago, Madison, and Dubuque, recorded their all-time warmest temperatures for so early in the year. Perhaps the most extraordinary record occurred in Madison, Wisconsin, which hit 82 °F -- a temperature 39 °F above average. It was the hottest temperature ever recorded in March, and three degrees warmer than any day so early in the year, going back to 1869. Not as many all-time hottest temperature records for so early in the year were set in Michigan and other surrounding states, due to plentiful moisture that generated afternoon cloud cover. The records will continue to fall across the Midwest for another week, as the ridge of high pressure responsible stays locked in place.

Major airports that set all-time heat records yesterday
For the second consecutive day, Chicago, Illinois, hit 81 °F; the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1872, and 35 °F above average. This ties the record set on March 12, 1990.

For the second consecutive day, Springfield, Illinois, hit 83 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1879, and 32 °F above average. This ties the record of 83 °F on March 13, 1918.

Rockford, Illinois, hit 82 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1893, and 36 °F above average. Previous record: 79 °F set the previous day.

Moline, Illinois, hit 81 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1874, and 33 °F above average. Previous record: 80 °F on March 12, 1990.

Dubuque, Iowa, hit 78 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1874, and 34 °F above average. Previous record: 75 °F set the previous day, and also on March 12, 1990.

Waterloo, Iowa, hit 79 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1895, and 34 °F above average. This ties the record set on March 7, 2000.

Madison, Wisconsin, hit 82 °F, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1869, and 39 °F above average. This is also the warmest temperature ever recorded in March (tied with March 29th, 1986, and March 31, 1981), as is also (by two weeks) the earliest 80 °F reading ever measured there. The previous record for a temperature so hot this early in the year was 79 °F set the previous day, on March 14, 2012.

Data for the previous records was taken from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). 


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