March Climate Review and April Preview

March of 2019 was a cool and wet month across most of South Central and Southeast Colorado. as periodic weather disturbances moved across the Rockies, bringing abundant  snowfall to areas over and near the higher terrain, especially along and west of the Continental Divide. This snowfall produced an unprecedented amount of avalanches across Colorado's High County through out the month of March. This pattern also produced an extremely powerful low pressure system across southern Colorado on March 13th, bringing strong and damaging winds and widespread rain to the  Southeast Plains, blizzard conditions over El Paso County, and dropping feet of snow over the mountains. The "bombogenesis" event of March 13th also set records as it produced the lowest surface pressure ever recorded (970.4 mb in Lamar) in the state, along with several records of the strongest wind gusts across Southeast Colorado, including a record setting 96 mph wind gust at the Colorado Springs Airport. 

For the month of March as a whole, below to well below normal temperatures were experienced across the area, save for pockets of at and above normal temperatures across southwestern portions of the area.  As for precipitation, above to well above normal precipitation was experienced across most of South Central and Southeast Colorado, save for pockets of below normal precipitation across the Southeast Mountains.  

The following graphics depict monthly temperature and precipitation departures from normal across the state for the past month of March.

The preliminary average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of March was 36.4 degrees, which is 2.9 degrees above normal. Alamosa recorded 1.42 inches of precipitation through the month of March. This is 0.89 inches above normal and makes March of 2019, tied with March of 1973, as the 2nd wettest March on record. This remains just behind the the wettest March on record, 1992,  when 1.62 inches of precipitation fell in Alamosa.  Alamosa recorded 10.4 inches of snow through out the month of March. This is 5.4 inches above normal and makes March of 2019 the 10th snowiest March on record. This, however, remains well behind the snowiest March on record, 1973, when 29.2 inches of snow fell in Alamosa.  The 10.4 inches of snow recorded in March brings the 2018-19  seasonal snowfall in Alamosa to 47.4 inches, which is 23.1 inches above normal to date. This makes the 2018-2019 season the 10th snowiest on record in Alamosa, thus far, though it remains well behind the snowiest season on record, 1972-1973, when 97.5 inches of snow fell in Alamosa. 

The preliminary average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of March was 36.9 degrees, which is 2.2 degrees below normal. Colorado Springs recorded 1.22 inches of precipitation and 7.4 inches of snow through out the month of March, which is 0.22 inches above normal and 0.7 inches below normal, respectively. The 7.4 inches of snow recorded in March brings the 2018-19  seasonal snowfall in Colorado Springs to 25.7 inches, which is 6.4 inches below normal to date. 

The preliminary average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of March was 41.3 degrees, which is 1.0 degrees below normal. Pueblo recorded 1.35 inches of precipitation through out the month of March, which is 0.42 inches above normal. Pueblo recorded 2.2 inches of snow through out the month of March, which is 3.5 inches below normal. The 2.2 inches of snow recorded in March brings the 2018-19  seasonal snowfall in Pueblo to 17.0 inches, which is 10.5 inches below normal to date. 

Looking ahead into April, in Alamosa, the average high temperature and low temperature of 55 degrees and 21 degrees on April 1st,  warm to 64 degrees and 29 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of April in Alamosa is 41.8 degrees. Alamosa averages 0.59 inches of precipitation and 3.6 inches of snow through out the month of April.  

In Colorado Springs, the average high temperature and low temperature of 56 degrees and 30 degrees on April 1st,  warm to 64 degrees and 38 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of April in Colorado Springs is 46.5 degrees. Colorado Springs averages 1.42 inches of precipitation and 4.9 inches of snow through out the month of April.  

In Pueblo,  the average high temperature and low temperature of 63 degrees and 30 degrees on April 1st, warm to 72 degrees and 39 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of April in Pueblo is 50.6 degrees. Pueblo averages 1.40 inches of precipitation and 3.8 inches of snow through out the month of April.        

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the month of April, which gives a slight nod to above normal temperatures and better chances of above normal precipitation across South Central and Southeast Colorado.