March 2006 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

Saint Cloud Weather Summary for March 2006

A Snowy March, but Not Really in Saint Cloud

March 2006 will be noted for the mid-month heavy snowfalls in east central Minnesota, but Saint Cloud only received a glancing blow. The March 2006 snowfall at the Saint Cloud Reformatory totalled 6.2 inches. The normal Saint Cloud snowfall in March is 8.5 inches, but it was the second snowiest month of the cold season in Saint Cloud. The heavy snowstorms of March 12-13 and March 15-16 produced about a foot and a half of snow from the Twin Cities through Red Wing, but Saint Cloud was on the northern fringe of each of these storms. Saint Cloud only picked up 1.7 inches from the March 12-13th storm and 1.9 inches in the March 15-16 storm. Still, the Saint Cloud snowfall totals from these two storm combined about equalled the total snowfall for January (3.8 inches) and February (3.7 inches). In many ways, the March snowfall was more typical of January. While the total was only 6.2 inches, there were nine days in March 2006 with measurable snowfall, but no day produced more than 1.6 inches. The total season snowfall in Saint Cloud is now 33.4 inches, still nearly 10 inches below normal for the year (2005-2006 seasonal snowfall for Saint Cloud).

The rapid melting of the mid-March snowfall, combined with a wet past week, is resulting in minor flooding along the Long Praire River and the lower portion of the Minnesota River. This is in contrast to the current flooding problems in the Red River Valley and northwestern Minnesota, stemming from a more persistent and deeper snowpack that has suddenly melted over the past two week. Major flooding continues to occur over the Red River Valley. The river would be cresting by mid-week, but the series of moderate rain storms have kept the high water coming.

Total March precipitation in Saint Cloud amounted to 0.97 inch, about half an inch below normal. This would have led to relatively dry conditions, but the mild, rainy conditions of the past week has gotten most of the frost out of the ground and allowed greening. Between March 29 and April 3, Saint Cloud has received exactly an inch of rain. As the frost melts within the soil, we will begin the growing season in central Minnesota with very moist ground water conditions, due to the heavy rains from late August through October. This stands in sharp contrast to what's going on further to the south. Much of Iowa and Illinois are experiencing severe drought conditions. These conditions extended northward into Wisconsin last fall, but heavy snowfall during the late winter has eased the drought conditions in Wisconsin.

Temperature-wise, Saint Cloud posted yet another warm month. The average March temperature was 32.2°F, 3.8°F above normal. Only 6 days out of the 31 had temperatures below normal. Five of those 6 days occurred during the period of March 13-18, during and in the wake of the two major snowstorms.

With the end of March, the snow and extreme cold season is nearly over. April averages 2.9 inches of snow, but there has not been measurable snow in three of the past 5 Aprils. However, note that Saint Cloud picked up 15.3 inches of snow as recently as April 2002. Still, the current weather pattern would make it difficult to produce snowfall.

The 2005-2006 "not-so-cold" season also ended up tied with 1986-1987 for the 6th fewest number of days with lows of 0°F or colder. While 1907-1908 had the fewest number of sub-zero lows (11), our recent streak of mild winters has placed 7 cold seasons since 1997-1998 among the 16 lowest totals of sub-zero lows.