March 2018 Climate and Hydrology Summary

March 2018

Tulsa: March 2018 was the 38th warmest (53.0°F, tied 1994, 1972; since 1905) and the 48th wettest (3.31"; since 1888) March on record. No snow fell in March 2018, which tied 38 other years with no snow in March.

Fort Smith: March 2018 was the 31st warmest (54.9°F, tied 1916; since 1883) and the 64th wettest (3.07"; since 1883) March on record. No snow fell in March, which tied 76 other years with no snow in March.

Fayetteville: March 2018 was the 25th warmest (49.7°F; since 1950) and the 17th wettest (5.40"; since 1950). No snow fell in March, which tied 21 other years with no snow in March.

Fayetteville: Daily records set or tied this month include a record warm maximum temperature.

Using the radar-derived estimated observed precipitation from the RFCs, rainfall totals for March 2018 ranged from around 0.5” to near 1.5” northwest of the I-44 corridor and from 2” to 8” along and southeast of the I-44 corridor in eastern OK and northwest AR. This corresponds to near normal to 10-50% of the normal March rainfall northwest of the I-44 corridor, 25-90% of the normal March rainfall across southeast OK and west central AR, and near normal to around 150% of the normal March rainfall for the remainder of the area.

A heavy rainfall event at the end of the month brought some flooding to eastern OK and northwest AR, while locations northwest of the I-44 corridor once again missed out and remained impacted by drought.

Minor to moderate flooding occurred along the Illinois River and minor flooding occurred along Lee Creek due to heavy rain March 26-27, 2018.

One tornado occurred on March 27, 2018. Information about this event can be found at https://arcg.is/1f5Ob4

According to the Drought Monitor from April 3, 2018, Severe (D2) Drought conditions were impacting northwest Osage County and eastern Kay County in eastern OK. Moderate (D1) drought conditions were present across portions of Osage, Pawnee, Washington, and Nowata Counties in eastern OK. Abnormally Dry (D0) but not in drought conditions encompassed portions of Pawnee, Creek, Osage, Washington, Tulsa, Rogers, Nowata, and Craig Counties.

According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, March 2018 was the 41st driest for northeast Oklahoma, the 28th wettest for east central Oklahoma, and the 34th driest for southeast Oklahoma. Records go back to 1921. For the Year-to-Date period Jan. 1-Mar. 31, 2018, northeast Oklahoma ranked as the 30th wettest, east central Oklahoma was the 6th wettest, and southeast Oklahoma was the 6th wettest period.