Despite some decent rains in March, including the last day of the month, the year has continued very dry. Normal rainfall by April 1st is 10.57" (the 1971-2000 average was 11.71"). So far this year we have had 6.67". Last year we have had 7.11". In 2010, which turned out to be the driest year on record, we had 8.74" by April 1st. So the drought continues, and it is very scary.
March 2012 was the warmest March on record at St. Simons Island. The average temperature was 68.2 degrees and 7.9 degrees above normal. This March was warmer than the average April! We have had to use the air conditioning frequently since March 16. Encouragingly we were slightly wetter than average, with rainfall of 4.01", which is 0.13" above normal. I hope April also has decent rains.
Some highlights from March and the previous winter:
At St Simons Island, the warmest ever March was helped in part to the extended period of onshore flow and the warmer than normal Atlantic ocean water temperatures. In fact the minimum temperature for the month was only 46 degrees, which was also an all-time record. A daily record high of 85 degrees was set on March 29th, and a total of six daily record high minimum temperature records were broken as several nights only fell into the mid to upper 60s. A total of only 4 freeze events (days with minimum temperature less than or equal to 32 degrees) were recorded during the winter of 2011-12, this is below the average number of 11 freeze events for the winter season. This is the fewest amount since the winter of 1997-98.
Courtesy of Jason Hess of the Jacksonville National Weather Service Office, a list of the warmest first quarters of the year at St. Simons Island. Much thanks!
BRUNSWICK MALCOLM MCKINNON AP (KSSI)
Extremes
Highest Average Average Temperature degrees F
Days: 1/1 - 3/31
Length of period: 90 days
Years: 1948-2012
Rank Value Ending Date
1 62.1 3/31/1974
2 61.1 3/31/2012
3 60.4 3/31/1949
4 60.1 3/31/1950
5 59.3 3/31/1997
6 58.9 3/31/1990
7 58.6 3/31/1989
8 58.4 3/31/1975
9 58.2 3/31/1953
10 57.7 3/31/1957
Ending Date is the last day of the 90-day period.
Only periods with no missing data were evaluated.
On April 2nd St. Simons Island set a new record high temperature of 89, beating the old record of 87 set in 2006.
On April 2nd St. Simons Island tied its record high minimum temperature of 67, originally set in 1979.
On April 3rd ST. Simons Island tied its record high minimum temperature of 68, originally set in 1979.
Date..................actual..............normal................departure.............notes
April 1...............61.7 / 81.1.......55.1 / 71.7...........+8.0
April 2...............64.9 / 86.7.......55.4 / 71.9..........+12.1
April 3...............65.8 / 82.8.......55.5 / 72.1..........+10.5
Highs for 2012
40s..........2
50s..........7
60s..........31
70s..........43
80s..........11
Lows for 2012
20s..........3
30s..........7
40s..........21
50s..........34
60s..........29
8 day model forecast graphic:
