June weather in March sets several records

Monday, March 26, 2012

From Russellville to Reelsville, Edgelea to Edgewood Lake, the sounds of lawnmower engines filled the air Saturday and Sunday as unusually warm weather continued for Putnam County and west-central Indiana.

While Sunday's high of 72 degrees in Greencastle was nowhere near as warm as earlier record-breaking temperatures, it continued to serve notice that spring has definitely sprung across Indiana.

The National Weather Service reports that above-average temperatures are expected to continue in central Indiana through the end of March (Saturday).

Know that old March adage, "in like a lion, out like a lamb?" This year it's been literally lamb-like all month.

During the unseasonably warm weather that began March 12, temperatures each day averaged more than 20 degrees above normal. Most days were more typical of late May and early June or similar to March weather in Tampa, Fla.

Cooler weather prevailed this past weekend but temperatures have continued to average 10 degrees above normal.

Daily temperature records were established on seven days out of an eight-day stretch. For the 11-day period from March 12-22, the average temperature was 68.5 degrees -- 4.2 degrees above the 11-day record warmth of March 21-31, 2007. Additionally, it marked the warmest 11-day stretch to begin a year before the date of April 20.

The average temperature for March 2012 is expected to exceed the record average temperature of March 1910 by more than four degrees.

What U.S. Weather Bureau officials stated about the month of March 1910, seems to hold true for March 2012: "Never since the Weather Bureau was established has there been such an early opening of spring."

The U.S. Weather Bureau became the National Weather Service in 1970. Weather records at Indianapolis began in 1871.

List of Records set at Indianapolis in March:

-- March 14: 81 degrees.

-- March 15: 80 degrees.

-- March 17: 77 degrees.

-- March 18: 80 degrees (tied record for high minimum temperature of 60).

-- March 19: 82 degrees (new high minimum of 64).

-- March 20: 83 degrees (new high minimum of 63).

-- March 21: 84 degrees (new high minimum of 62).

-- Most consecutive days in March with highs 70 or above: 11 (through March 22).

-- Most days in March with highs 70 or above: 11 (through March 22).

-- Most consecutive days in March with highs 80 or above: 5.

-- Most days in March with highs 80 or above: 7 (through March 22).

The all-time record high temperature for March is 85 degrees, set on March 31, 1981.

While more Indianapolis weather forecasters thought we might top that record last week, the highest official temperature so far this March is 84 degrees recorded on the 21st.

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