2019 Meteorological Spring Summary

Meteorological Spring (March 1 to May 31) was colder and wetter-than-normal across the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  Average temperatures ranged from 37.1°F (Medford, WI) to 46.3°F (Guttenberg Lock & Dam 10).  These temperatures were 2 to 4°F below normal.  Precipitation totals ranged from 8.29 inches (3 NW of Mather, WI) to 14.89 inches (Rochester International Airport).  These values ranged from near-normal to around 6 inches wetter-than-normal.  Spring snowfall ranged from a half inch (Guttenberg Lock & Dam 10) to 16.4" (Alma Dam 4).  These values ranged from near-normal to 10" above normal.

More specifics can be found for La Crosse, WI and Rochester, MN.

Spring Temperature Departures from the 1981-2010 Normal	Spring Precipitation Departures from the 1981-2010 Normal	Spring Snowfall Departures from the 1981-2010 Normal

La Crosse, WI...

...Another Wet Spring in La Crosse WI...

The meteorological spring of 2019 was another wet one at La Crosse Regional Airport. It was the 24th wettest meteorological spring.  This was the 6th time this decade and the 9th time this century that a spring has been among the 25 wettest springs.  Temperatures averaged just over 2 degrees (-2.1F) colder-than-normal.

More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 

From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport had an average temperature of 45.5F.  This was 2.1F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 47.6F. It was the coldest spring since 2014 when the average temperature was 44.3F.  

• The average high temperature was 55.4F.  This was 2.6F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 58F.
• The average low temperature was 35.6F.  This was 1.7F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 37.3F.

The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

           Spring 2019 Temperatures
               in La Crosse WI

                  Average            Departure
   Month        Temperature         from Normal
   -----        -----------         -----------
   March       30.2 degrees        -4.3 degrees 
   April       48.5 degrees        -0.1 degrees 
   May         57.7 degrees        -2.0 degrees 
 
   Spring      45.5 degrees        -2.1 degrees 

• The warmest high temperature was 90F on May 31.
• The coldest high temperature was 10F on March 4.
   
• The warmest low temperature was 61F on May 16.
• The coldest low temperature was -15F on March 4.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 7 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 1 Day 
   
• Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 31 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  4 Days

Precipitation - 24th wettest

From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport received 11.01 inches of precipitation.  This was 2.11 inches wetter than the 1981-2010 spring normal of 8.90 inches.  This made it the 24th wettest meteorological spring. This was the 6th time this decade and the 9th time this century that a spring has been among the 25 wettest springs. 

Below are the 25 wettest springs in La Crosse WI.

           Wettest Springs
           in La Crosse WI
               1873-2019

          Precipitation
  Rank        Total          Year
  ----     ------------      ----
    1      17.21 inches      1973
    2      16.53 inches      2013
    3      15.37 inches      1945
    4      15.04 inches      1991
    5      14.61 inches      2004
    6      13.83 inches      2017
    7      13.70 inches      1993
    8      13.61 inches      1888
    9      13.28 inches      1908
   10      13.11 inches      1903
   11      12.88 inches      1960
   12      12.41 inches      2008
   13      12.31 inches      1951
   14      12.29 inches      1892
   15      12.03 inches      1965
   16      11.97 inches      1876
   17      11.53 inches      2018
   18      11.51 inches      2006
   19      11.41 inches      1956
   20      11.38 inches      2015
   21      11.17 inches      2011
   22      11.10 inches      1913
   23      11.07 inches      1938
   24      11.01 inches      2019
   25      10.99 inches      1999
           10.99 inches      1918

The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

          Spring 2019 Precipitation 
               in La Crosse WI

                Precipitation         Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March        1.81 inches         -0.23 inches
   April        3.17 inches         -0.17 inches 
   May          6.03 inches         +2.51 inches - 17th Wettest
 
   Spring      11.01 inches         +2.11 inches - 24th Wettest

• The wettest day was May 18 when 1.17 inches of rain fell.
• Measurable precipitation fell on 34 days (37.0%) and trace amounts on 15 days (16.3%).

Snowfall - 

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near La Crosse Regional Airport recorded 12.1 inches. This was 3.3 inches snowier than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.8 inches.  The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

             Spring 2019 Snowfall 
               in La Crosse WI

                   Snowfall           Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March         5.9 inches          -1.2 inches 
   April         6.2 inches          +4.5 inches 
   May             0 inches           0.0 inches
 
   Spring       12.1 inches          +3.3 inches 

• The snowiest day was on April 10 when 3.9 inches of snow fell.
• Measurable snow fell on 6 days (6.5%) and trace amounts on 11 days (12%).

Rochester, MN...

...Another Cold and Wet Meteorological Spring at Rochester MN...

During the meteorological spring of 2019, it was cold (4.2F colder than the 1981-2010 normal) and wet (4th wettest and 6th time this decade to be among the 25 wettest springs) at Rochester International Airport.  More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport had an average temperature of 41.5 degrees.  This was 4.2 degrees colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 45.7 degrees.  

• The average high temperature was 50.7F.  This was 4.7F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 55.4F.
• The average low temperature was 32.4F.  This was 3.6F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 36.0F.

The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

           Spring 2019 Temperatures
               in Rochester MN

                  Average            Departure
   Month        Temperature         from Normal
   -----        -----------         -----------
   March       25.9 degrees        -6.5 degrees
   April       44.8 degrees        -1.9 degrees 
   May         53.9 degrees        -4.2 degrees 
 
   Spring      41.5 degrees        -4.2 degrees 

• The warmest high temperature was 86F on May 31.
• The coldest high temperature was -1F on March 3.
   
• The warmest low temperature was 58F on May 16 and May 31.
• The coldest low temperature was -17F on March 3 and March 4.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 11 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 0 Days 
   
• Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 38 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  6 Days

Precipitation - 4th Wettest

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport received 14.82 inches of precipitation.  This was 6.07 inches wetter than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.75 inches.  This was the 4th wettest spring.  This is the 6th time this decade (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019) and the 8th time this century that a spring has been among the 25 wettest springs. Below are the 10 wettest springs in Rochester MN.

           Wettest Springs
           in Rochester MN
               1886-2019

          Precipitation
  Rank        Total          Year
  ----     ------------      ----
    1      21.90 inches      2013
    2      15.87 inches      2001
    3      15.09 inches      1888
    4      14.82 inches      2019
    5      14.57 inches      1990
    6      14.35 inches      1945
    7      12.85 inches      1982
    8      12.60 inches      1999
    9      12.37 inches      1973
   10      12.06 inches      1938

The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

          Spring 2019 Precipitation 
               in Rochester MN

                Precipitation         Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March        1.47 inches         -0.41 inches 
   April        3.93 inches         +0.69 inches
   May          9.42 inches         +5.79 inches - 2nd Wettest

   Spring      14.82 inches         +6.07 inches - 4th Wettest

• The wettest day was May 27th when 3.33 inches of rain fell.
• Measurable precipitation fell on 39 days (42.4%) and trace amounts on 10 days (10.9%).

Snowfall - 

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near Rochester International Airport recorded 13.0 inches of snow. This was 1 inch snowier than the 1981-2010 normal of 12.0 inches.  The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2019.

             Spring 2019 Snowfall 
               in Rochester MN

                   Snowfall           Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March         4.8 inches          -3.9 inches 
   April         8.2 inches          +4.9 inches 
   May           0.0 inches           0.0 inches
 
   Spring       13.0 inches          +1.0 inch

• The snowiest day was on April 10 when 4.1 inches of snow fell.
• Measurable snow fell on 9 days (9.8%) and trace amounts on 9 days (9.8%).