RECORD HIGHS MARCH 2012

[gsytch]

Notice the oddity here - I live in Tampa Bay FL (actually New Port Richey FL which is a city along the Gulf of Mexico). Tampa broke their record at 88F on Wed., while places in northern Michigan broke their record at 87F, one degree shy of Tampa's temperature! Last night seabreeze storms formed along our boundaries, such as in summertime, with reports of small hail. It rained here for 2 hours with thunder and just over 2" of rain. Our yearly total from Jan 1st had been just over 2". Since Florida is surrounded by water Tampa has NEVER hit 100F, but to think on March 21st the record in southern Ontario is a few degrees shy of Tampa??? This is truly a bizarre March. Every day in the past few weeks had ventured over 80F with most in the 85-87F range even here on the coast.

[Cyclenall]

If there is going to be a day that it reaches the big THREE OH (30ºC somewhere in Ontario), this is it. I'm crossing my fingers for Windsor ON to pull it off at 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm. If it does, not only would me and Crazy laugh, but it would be the warmest March temperature ever recorded in all of Ontario and the first time it has reached 30ºC in March.

On TWN today they said a lot of records were broken even before 11:00 am today!! Parts of the east are around 27ºC like Halifax NS and Fredrickton NB again. The forecast for places like Fort Francis and Winnipeg show a lot of rain coming and temps. still way above average...maybe record breaking.

[tropicana]

Record Highs Thu Mar 22 2012

Mount Washington NH 51F
Gaylord MI 66F
Eau Claire WI 69F tied 1945
Watertown NY 70F
Bridgeport CT 71F
International Falls MN 72F
Islip NY 73F
Caribou ME 73F
La Guardia NY 76F
Binghamton NY 76F
Traverse City MI 76F
Massena NY 76F
La Crosse WI 77F
Worcester MA 78F
Montpelier VT 78F
Central Park NY 78F
Rockford IL 79F
Houlton ME 79F **tie all time March record Mar 21/12**
Madison WI 79F
St Johnsbury VT 80F
Morristown TN 80F tied 1966
Buffalo NY 80F
Youngstown OH 71F
Burlington VT 81F
Georgetown DE 81F
Providence RI 81F
Albany NY 81F
Bluefield WV 81F
South Bend IN 81F tied 1938
Muskegon MI 81F
London KY 82F
Portland ME 82F **hottest so early**
Akron OH 83F
Chicago O"Hare IL 83F
Lansing MI 83F
Hartford CT 83F
Boston MA 83F
Fort Wayne In 83F tied 1907
Cleveland OH 83F tied 1938
Bangor ME 84F **all time March record**
Jackson KY 84F
Zanesville OH 84F
Concord NH 84F
Mansfield OH 84F
Colombus OH 85F
Toledo Oh 85F
Grand Rapids MI 85F
Morgantown WV 85F
Charleston WV 86F tied 1907
Detroit MI 86F **All time March record**

CANADIAN RECORD HIGHS

Wawa ON 13.6C 57F
Kingston ON 16.1C 61F
Trenton ON 17.7C 64F
Kapuskasing ON 17.8C 64F
Timmins ON 17.9C 64F
Wiarton ON 18.3C 65F
Collingwood ON 18.5C 66F
Geraldton ON 18.5C 66F
Atikokan ON 20.3C 68F
Kenora ON 20.6C 69F
Gaspe QC 21.1C 70F
Sioux Lookout ON 21.2C 70F
Sydney NS 23.1C 74F
Muskoka ON 23.7C 75F
Montreal QC 23.9C 75F
Barrie ON 24.1C 76F
Sherbrooke QC 24.1C 75F
Downtown Toronto ON 24.3C 76F
Charlottetown PEI 24.5C 76F
Ottawa ON 24.9C 77F
Saint John NB 25.1C 77F
Sarnia ON 25.5C 78F
Peterborough ON 26.0C 79F
Toronto Pearson ON 26.0C 79F **hottest March day**
Moncton NB 26.1C 79F
Markham Buttonville ON 26.3C 79F
Kitchener ON 26.5C 80F
Hamilton ON 26.8C **Hottest March day**
Halifax NS 27.2C 81F
Fredericton NB 27.2C 81F
London ON 27.5C 82F
Windsor ON 28.4C 83F **Hottest March day**

-justin-

[CrazyC83]

If there is going to be a day that it reaches the big THREE OH (30ºC somewhere in Ontario), this is it. I'm crossing my fingers for Windsor ON to pull it off at 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm. If it does, not only would me and Crazy laugh, but it would be the warmest March temperature ever recorded in all of Ontario and the first time it has reached 30ºC in March.

On TWN today they said a lot of records were broken even before 11:00 am today!! Parts of the east are around 27ºC like Halifax NS and Fredrickton NB again. The forecast for places like Fort Francis and Winnipeg show a lot of rain coming and temps. still way above average...maybe record breaking.

Didn't see anywhere get above 28C yet, but we have to wait for the official numbers. I would guess Windsor topped off at 29C.

[CrazyC83]

How far SOUTH has this heat wave penetrated? I see Florida records broken, but Caribbean records?

[tropicana]

How far SOUTH has this heat wave penetrated? I see Florida records broken, but Caribbean records?

dont really think the Caribbean has seen higher than normal temperatures. Havana Cuba hit 31.5C 89F on Thurday, and 32.3C 90F on Wednesday, but these arent that abnormal, perhaps a tinge above normal for this area. The Bahamas temperatures have generally been in the low to mid 80s. (27-28C)

[Nicko999]

This heat wave is providing us with mind-boggling warmth and numbers...

Halifax was 27.2C today... not only a March all-time high (25.6C, March 31, 1998) but it would have been an April all-time high as well.

Toronto was 26.0C which breaks the all-time March record. All major cities (and much more) in Eastern Canada have now broken the all-time March record.

[Nicko999]

Oh, btw Western Head, Nova Scotia was 29.2C(84.6F) today which is quite possibly the warmest temperature ever recorded during the month of March in Canadian history.

The warmest temperature for Canada I could find was Medicine Hat, Alberta at 28.9C(84F) on March 23, 1911.

[Cyclenall]

Yesterday's statements from EC:

AWCN11 CWTO 230153
Updated weather summary for all of Southern Ontario and the
National Capital Region issued by Environment Canada
At 9:52 PM EDT Thursday 22 March 2012.

-------------------------------------------------------------
==weather event discussion==

A huge unprecedented feast of summer in March.

We are in the midst of a historic March warm spell across Ontario
with record temperatures tumbling by the dozen every day. Some
records have been shattered by more than 15 degrees. Afternoon
temperatures yesterday and today are more typical of average
afternoon temperatures in the summer.

The sizzling maximum temperature of 28.8 c reported in Petawawa
Wednesday is the second highest temperature ever recorded in
Ontario in March. The highest temperature recorded during March was
A midsummer like 29.4 c in Wallaceburg on 26-mar-1921. Interestingly
enough, two short days later on March 28, 1921 many folks must have
been shocked when the temperatures remained just below freezing all
day long.

Normally we are still often feeling the frosty fingers of old man
winter's final presence of the season interspersed with a few
normally mild days of early spring where temperatures get into the
low to mid teens. But instead, words such as humidex, tulips,
Fresh green grass, patio weather, swimming pool opening, and
summerlike warmth are on everybody's lips. Satellite photos and
surface observations indicate that there is no significant
Snow cover left across Southern Ontario.

This warm spell is also remarkable for its duration. It is more
reminiscent of a persistent summer heatwave. Many locales such as
Windsor, Sarnia, London and Kitchener have enjoyed 7 or 8 days in a
row where the afternoon temperature reached 20.0 c or higher. This
Is unprecedented for March in Ontario. This record long warm spell
will end as a cold front will introduce somewhat cooler air (but
still above normal) on Friday.

Below are record maximum temperature records set on Thursday
22-mar-2012. Please refer to the table below for more details.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Location new temperature record previous record

Windsor 28.4 18.8 (2007)
Harrow 23.5 22.2 (1938)
Sarnia 25.5 15.0 (2007)
London 27.5 23.9 (1938)
Delhi 27.3 23.9 (1938)
Kitchener-Waterloo 26.5 21.7 (1938)
Hamilton 26.8 17.8 (1910)
Wiarton 18.3 13.9 (2007)
Toronto downtown 24.3 22.8 (1938)
Toronto Pearson 26.0 24.4 (1938)
Buttonville 26.3 18.4 (1988)
Barrie 24.1 16.0 (1907,1953)
Orillia 24.5 17.2 (1935)
Muskoka 23.7 15.7 (1987)
Peterborough 26.0 24.4 (1938)
Trenton 17.7 16.7 (1953)
Kingston 16.1 12.8 (1949)
Bancroft 22.8 16.5 (1979)
Brockville 24.9 22.8 (1938)
Ottawa 24.9 15.6 (1953,2000)
Ottawa botanical gardens 23.7 15.2 (2000)
Kemptville 24.5 16.7 (1953)

This weather summary contains preliminary information and may not
constitute an official or final report.

END/OSPC

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AWCN12 CWTO 230141
Updated weather summary for Northern Ontario issued by
Environment Canada at 9:31 PM EDT Thursday 22 March 2012.

-------------------------------------------------------------
==weather event discussion==

A historic warm spell across Ontario with a plethora of new record
maximum temperatures every day has resulted in a memorable feast
Of early summer. The 27.9 c maximum temperature in Timmins on
Wednesday March 21 is the highest recorded temperature in the
Regions north of a line from Northern Georgian Bay to Mattawa.
Many locales also enjoyed unusually long spells of 4 or 5 days in a
row where the temperature reached or exceeded the 20 degree mark.

It appears that this March will likely be the warmest March on
record for some places.

Below are record maximum temperature records set on Thursday
22-mar-2012. Please refer to the table below for more details.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Location new temperature record previous record

Kenora 20.6 16.1 (1945)
Dryden 21.5 14.4 (1945, 1957)
Red Lake 17.0 13.9 (1939)
Ear Falls 18.5 14.0 (2000)
Sioux Lookout 21.2 13.9 (1957)
Atikokan 20.3 18.3 (1945)
Upsala 19.0 14.2 (2000)
Armstrong 16.1 14.0 (2000)
Cameron Falls 15.9 14.4 (2000)
Geraldton 18.5 12.4 (1987)
Kapuskasing 17.8 16.7 (1920)
Timmins 17.9 15.6 (1938)
Wawa 13.6 10.8 (1987)
Chapleau 16.9 14.0 (1987)

This weather summary contains preliminary information and may not
constitute an official or final report.

END/OSPC

From Manitoba:

AWCN11 CWWG 230028
Summary weather statement issued by Environment Canada at 7:28 PM CDT
Thursday 22 March 2012.

Discussion
--------------------------------------------------------
A warm front pushing northward from the international border briefly
made it's way through Winnipeg today before retreating early in the
evening. Many temperatures records fell in the unseasonably mild
Temperatures as noted below...


New old record records
Location record record year began
--------------------------------------------------------
Sprague 22.4 18.9 1945 1916
Winnipeg 21.7 18.3 1878 1872
Melita 21.7 14.8 2000 1993
Pilot Mound 21.5 15.6 1963 1939
Portage la Prairie 21.4 16.1 1910 1886
Pinawa 20.4 15.0 2000 1964
Gretna 21.3 17.8 2000 1956
Fisher Branch 16.6 13.0 2000 1978
Gimli 14.4 14.0 2000 1944


Cloud cover in the Red River Valley will keep temperatures a few
degrees cooler tomorrow.

End

From Saskatchewan:

AWCN13 CWWG 230037
Summary weather statement issued by Environment Canada at 6:37 PM CST
Thursday 22 March 2012.

Discussion
--------------------------------------------------------
A warm front that pushed into the Southern Prairies today
Brought very warm temperatures in the low 20's into Southeastern
Saskatchewan and Southern Manitoba today. Temperatures
Tomorrow are expected to reach the mid-teens to low 20's
Again tomorrow in the same areas.


New old record records
Location record record year began
--------------------------------------------------------
Assiniboia 20.8 16 1993 1916
Weyburn 19.9 16.7 1918 1917
Broadview 16.3 15 1963 1939

End

Time Sensitive Links: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings ... ml?prov=on and http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings ... ml?prov=mb and http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings ... ml?prov=sk

When I read these I usually see quite a few mistakes (spelling, grammar, and just plain errors like records). They also seem to re-use a lot of the text over and over again but this time they added a few more "items". Never heard of Delhi ON before.

Didn't see anywhere get above 28C yet, but we have to wait for the official numbers. I would guess Windsor topped off at 29C.

Windsor was only 1.6ºC away from doing the unthinkable. Hopefully a value will come out from somewhere that shows it . More humidex records were broken today (over 32ºC in some areas). I can imagine the minimum low records must be in the thousands (countless) at this point.

How far SOUTH has this heat wave penetrated? I see Florida records broken, but Caribbean records?

The further south you go the less the variance. If you look at some of these Caribbean records, you will find they are not all that much higher than their average. When I first found that out I was amazed because often they are only a few degrees away from their records routinely. Their climate is remarkably stable because of how close they are to the equator. It doesn't seem like North American weather has much of an effect on the tropical landmasses except the 1993 Storm of the Century which was totally out of this world because it brought severe thunderstorms to Cuba that caused $1 billion in damages. You will also find that records in North America (mid-section) are almost always higher than the records in the Caribbean (you won't find many 40ºC+ temps there but in Texas and Arizona they happen more than occasionally).

Oh, btw Western Head, Nova Scotia was 29.2C(84.6F) today which is quite possibly the warmest temperature ever recorded during the month of March in Canadian history.

The warmest temperature for Canada I could find was Medicine Hat, Alberta at 28.9C(84F) on March 23, 1911.

Good stats Nicko. That Western Head NS record truly is unimaginable and there are so many things about that particular record that is astounding. How Western Head was warmer then Windsor is beyond me. I bet that it was warmer than the all time April record for all of Nova Scotia . Unfortunately as my EC reports for Ontario show, it is not the warmest temperature ever recorded for March in Canadian history because in Wallaceburg ON on March 26, 1921 it was 29.4ºC (only 0.2ºC away!). However final data may make it happen so who knows .

There will be more tweets on page 3 I guess.

[Scott Patterson]

I wonder if anyone has broken an APRIL record so far, so that March now has a higher extreme than April?

After a quick look through the records, I did find a few that came close.

Cadillac, MI
March 2012: 85
All time April: 86

Houghton Lake AP, MI
March 2012: 85
All time April: 86

Kalkaska, MI
March 2012: 85
All time April: 86

Lake City, MI
March 2012: 85
All time April: 86

Wellston 1S, MI
March 2012: 89
All time April: 86

This one did break the April record as well, but records only go back to 1999.

Outside 2012, a few cities in the US do have higher record highs in March than in April. Brownsville TX even has it's all time year round record high in March.

[wxman57]

All this talk of record heat just warms my heart, so to speak.

[gsytch]

Our Florida records are really just a warm day. The average highs are already pushing 80F in central FL, but being surrounded by water makes it difficult to warm up much beyond 90F, which is not that much above normal. I am sure some areas in the center of the state heated up, but the records being broken up north are unreal. However, the Gulf of Mexico off my Tampa Bay coast is pushing 80F...unheard of for this time of year! That is swimming temperature (Floridians NEVER swim under 80F water).................

[combellack]

Looks like Toronto is having it's 13th double digit high in a row today (and might make it to 15 before the weekend is out), That kinda smashes the record set back in March 1945 Mar 23-30 1945 of 8 days. To be perfectly honest i am glad to see the heat winding down as the garden is moving way to fast and seeing that the minimum temperature records in my neck of the woods are still near -20 i would hate to see what a cold snap would do to the local trees and vegetation (thankfully don't see anything more than a degree or two below normal in the coming week or so).
Mark

[Cyclenall]

Looks like Toronto is having it's 13th double digit high in a row today (and might make it to 15 before the weekend is out), That kinda smashes the record set back in March 1945 Mar 23-30 1945 of 8 days. To be perfectly honest i am glad to see the heat winding down as the garden is moving way to fast and seeing that the minimum temperature records in my neck of the woods are still near -20 i would hate to see what a cold snap would do to the local trees and vegetation (thankfully don't see anything more than a degree or two below normal in the coming week or so).
Mark

I wouldn't worry about that because even though climatology says after something like this a big cold snap occurs, I have a feeling it won't happen this time making it unprecedented. Something about the climate seems fundamentally different and the trends don't show it so let the heat reign.

Here is another summary of the March Heat-Wave from TWN:

Link: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/s ... topstories

This still doesn't explain why it was so extreme and they continue to give the plain Jane answer of the jet-stream and ridge of high pressure. People are mowing their lawns already in Windsor ON and swimming in Nova Scotia...imagine that!

More Tweets on Page 3.

[tropicana]

Record Highs Fri Mar 23 2012

Montpelier VT 63F tied 1979
Binghamton NY 69F
Rawlins WY 71F
Laramie WY 71F
Cheyenne WY 71F
Mt Pocono PA 72F
Detroit MI 73F tied 1994
Flint MI 73F
La Guardia NY 74F
Grand Junction CO 75F tied 1997
Hartford CT 75F tied 1938
Islip NY 75F
Central Park NY 76F tied 1923
Sheridan WY 76F tied 1993
Denver CO 76F tied 1967
JFK NY 77F
Mansfield OH 77F
Atlantic City NJ 79F tied 1907
Bluefield WV 79F
Harrisburg PA 79F
Reading PA 80F
Williamsport PA 80F tied 1938
Allentown PA 80F
Philadelphia PA 80F
Georgetown DE 81F
Pittsburgh PA 81F tied 1907
Wilmington DE 81F
Cleveland OH 81F
Trenton NJ 81F
Akron OH 82F
Greensboro NC 82F
New Iberia LA 82F tied 2011
Raleigh NC 83F tied 2011
Washington Dulles VA 83F tied 1994
Zanesville OH 83F
Elizaebth City NC 84F
Roanoke VA 84F
Elkins WV 84F
Alma GA 86F

-justin-

[jinftl]

Crazy month-to-date (through 3/21) temperature anomalies from eastern Montana to the Gulf Coast to Maine....just 'regular' above normal (just a few degrees) as you head south through west and south Texas and south Florida.

How far SOUTH has this heat wave penetrated? I see Florida records broken, but Caribbean records?

[Nicko999]

Windsor was above 20C(68F) for a 10th consecutive day!!!:sly::sly::sly::sly:

[Cyclenall]

Windsor was above 20C(68F) for a 10th consecutive day!!!:sly::sly::sly::sly:

Nice. It probably didn't break the record but was close. Sarnia ON instead broke the record:

AWCN11 CWTO 240412
Updated weather summary for all of Southern Ontario and the
National Capital Region issued by Environment Canada
At 12:09 AM EDT Saturday 24 March 2012.

-------------------------------------------------------------
==weather event discussion==

The stretch of summer like weather has come to an end.

Cooler air is slowly returning to Southern Ontario. Except for the
Windsor to Sarnia area, which enjoyed temperatures in the low
twenties yesterday, the mercury remained in the teens for the first
time in several days to over a week in many localities. Temperatures
were still a few degrees higher than average for early spring.

Several temperature records were set today across Southern Ontario.
Below is a list of the new temperature records for March 23.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Location new temperature record previous record

Sarnia 24.2 18.8 (1988)
Ridgetown 21.3 20.0 (1945)
Muskoka 17.9 15.7 (1987)
Beatrice 18.3 16.0 (1987)
Ottawa 19.3 17.0 (1979)
Ottawa (Canada department of agriculture) 18.0
17.2 (2000)

This weather summary contains preliminary information and may not
constitute an official or final report.
END/OSPC

Time Sensitive Link: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings ... ml?prov=on

Crazy month-to-date (through 3/21) temperature anomalies from eastern Montana to the Gulf Coast to Maine....just 'regular' above normal (just a few degrees) as you head south through west and south Texas and south Florida.

Very nuts indeed. Has that product ever featured such an anomaly in the scale and potency as this one no matter the time of year? I would say unlikely. The month of March does have amazing potential for temp. departures but this event took that to a whole new dimension. This event needs its own Wikipedia article and I've always said that Heat-Waves on there are heavily under-represented. I might even join just to create the darn thing but it takes a bit of time and there are so many angles to it that it would be comparable to a small-impact hurricane article.

[jinftl]

Dr. Jeff Masters goes into great detail about the "Summer in March 2012" event...excerpts from article below (see link below for full article):

"The duration, areal size, and intensity of the Summer in March, 2012 heat wave are simply off-scale, and the event ranks as one of North America's most extraordinary weather events in recorded history.

Such a historic event is difficult to summarize, and in today's post I will offer just a few of the most notable highlights:

--Low temperatures beating previous high temperature records for the date - I've never seen a case where the low temperature for the date beat the previous record high. This happened on at least four occasions during "Summer in March, 2012"

--Breaking all-time April records for warmth in March - Not only did many locations in Canada set records for their all-time warmest March day during "Summer in March, 2012", a number also broke their record for warmest April day.

--Breaking daily temperature records by more than 30°F - It is exceptionally rare for a weather station with a 50+ year period of record to break a daily temperature record by more than 10°F. During "Summer in March, 2012", beating daily records by 10° - 20°F was commonplace, and many records were smashed by over 20°. Two stations broke records by more than 30°F, which is truly surreal.

--Breaking daily temperature records nine consecutive days or more - It is extremely rare for stations with a 50+ year period of record to break a daily high temperature record for seven or more days in a row. International Falls, Minnesota...has tied or broken their high temperature for the date ten consecutive days. Chicago, Illinois has tied or broken their daily high temperature record nine days in a row."
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMa ... rynum=2059

Very nuts indeed. Has that product ever featured such an anomaly in the scale and potency as this one no matter the time of year? I would say unlikely. The month of March does have amazing potential for temp. departures but this event took that to a whole new dimension. This event needs its own Wikipedia article and I've always said that Heat-Waves on there are heavily under-represented. I might even join just to create the darn thing but it takes a bit of time and there are so many angles to it that it would be comparable to a small-impact hurricane article.

[Scott Patterson]

Craig-Moffat AP (Craig CO) hit 74F yesterday. It was the 2nd hottest March temp and since 1894, only the second year in history where it rose above 70F (the other year was 2004).