National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Dense Fog for the Center of the Nation; Severe Thunderstorms Across the South; Parade of Pacific Storms Continue

Series of Pacific storms will continue to significantly impact portions of the West through this last weekend of 2024; Strong winds, high surf, heavy lower elevation rain and heavy mountain snow expected. Across the Plains, low visibility and dense fog will make for travel difficulties as warmer air lifts north. This will fuel severe thunderstorms across several southern states on Saturday. Read More >

 

March 2018 precipitation was mostly below to well below normal. Only portions of southwest New Mexico received near normal amounts. Temperatures were near normal in the northwest, above normal elsewhere. 

A nice warm-up began on the 1st and continued through the 4th, before a cold front brought much cooler air in for the 5th. Strong winds accompanied the front over much of the state. Warmer and dry conditions returned from the 6th through 10th before the next storm delivered much needed rain to western and central New Mexico, and a little snow in the mountains. A disturbance brought a little more snow to the northern mountains on the 14th to 15th, with widespread strong winds. A stronger storm provided Rain, snow, strong winds and colder air to the state from the 17th to 19th. Back to dry and milder weather followed from the 20th through 25th. The final storm of the month on the 26th to 27th only produced mostly light rain and mountain snow. A quick hitting weak disturbance late on the 28th into early on the 29th delivered a little snow to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Northeast.  

Statewide Precipitation and Temperatures

Statewide Precipitation - Actual

Statewide Temperatures - Actual

 

 
Statewide Precipitation - Percent Of Normal Statewide Temperatures - Departure From Normal

 

 
                                                                                                       

                                      Climate Cities Temperatures and Precipitation

Albuquerque
 

There was 0.18 inches of precipitation measured at the Sunport in March 2018, compared to the normal of 0.57 inches, or 0.39 inches below normal.

There was only a trace of snow (on the 18th) compared to the normal of 1.1 inches. This was tied for the 7th least snowiest March on record. 

The average temperature for Albuquerque in March 2018 was 50.2°, which was 2.1 degrees above the normal of 48.1°.

The average maximum temperature for the month was 63.5°. This was 3.0 degrees above the normal average maximum temperature of 60.5°.

The average minimum temperature for the month was 37.0°. This was 1.3 degrees above the normal average minimum temperature of 35.7 degrees.

Records: none

 
 Clayton
 

There was 0.07 inches of precipitation measured at Clayton in March 2018, or 0.88 inches below the average of 0.95 inches.

There was only a trace of snow (on the 27th), compared to the normal of 6.3 inches. 

The average temperature for Clayton in March 2018 was 46.4°, which was 2.2 degrees above the normal of 44.2°. 

The average maximum temperature for the month was 63.2°. This was 4.7 degrees above the normal average maximum temperature of 58.5 degrees.

The average minimum temperature for the month was 29.7°. This was 0.3 degrees below the normal average minimum temperature of 30.0°.

Records: None

 
 Roswell
 

There was only 0.01 inches of precipitation reported at Roswell during March 2018, which is 0.50 inches below the normal of 0.51 inches. This was tied for the 19th driest March on record. 

There was no snow in Roswell, compared to the normal of 1.2 inches. There have been 35 other March's with no snow. 

The average temperature in Roswell for March 2018 was 56.8°, which was 4.2 degrees above the normal of 52.6 degrees. This was tied for the 8th warmest March on record. 

The average maximum temperature for the month was 73.8°. This was 5.5 degrees above the average maximum temperature of 68.3 degrees. 

The average minimum temperature for the month was 39.7°. This was 2.8 degrees above the normal average minimum temperature of 36.9°.

Records: 22nd: record daily max temp: 88 deg (old record 87 in 2017)                                                                                    23rd: record daily max temp: 92 deg (old record 91 in 2017)

Severe Weather
Storm reports are considered preliminary until a final review is certified in the NWS Storm Data publication.
Certified data is available three to four months post-event at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/