Preliminary
Wyoming Monthly Climatology
March 2004

Statewide Summary

Record heat and dryness dominated during most of March. Average temperatures ranged from 8 degrees F above normal over portions of SE Wyoming to the coldest weather which occurred over parts of Sublette and Sweetwater counties. Precipitation was very low across all but the NE part of the state. The lightest precipitation, ~ 0 percent of normal, occurred over several regions around the state. The mountain snow pack began its spring melt about 4 weeks earlier than average across the entire state. Mountain snowpack was about 68 percent of the long term average by the end of the month. Snow cover based on remote satellite sensing, revealed only high elevations

Soil moisture on 31 March 2004 shows some dryness over western Wyoming, however some moisture has persisted in the upper levels at Torrington. The drought over Wyoming has worsened somewhat over the N. Platte River Basin and Bighorn Valley. As a result of extremely dry conditions, by the end of March the fire threat was at extremely high levels that are not normally seem until early summer!

Cheyenne

The average temperature in March was 42.1°F. This is 7.9°F above normal for the month and represents the 2nd warmest March since 1915. The maximum temperature for the month was 74°F on the 31st (record for the day) and the minimum of 17°F occurred on the 14th. Another record high occurred on the 26th (72°F). Eight days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of 0.15 inch is 14 percent of normal and also represents the 2nd driest March since 1915. Snowfall totaled only 0.3 inch and is only 3 percent of the long term mean.

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    Laramie

    The average temperature in March was 37.4°F. This is 7.4°F warmer than normal and represents the 2nd warmest March since 1949. The maximum temperature for the month was 70°F on the 22nd (daily record) and the minimum for the month was 3°F occurring on the 2nd. Five days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of just a trace is 0 percent of normal and represents the driest March since 1949. Snowfall totaled 0.2 inch and is 2 percent of the long term mean.

    Rawlins

    The average temperature in March was 36.9°F. This is 3.1°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 71°F on the 22nd (record for the day) and the minimum for the month was -3°F occurring on the 2nd. Other record highs occurred on the 26th (65°F) and 31st (69°F). Six days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of 0.45 inch is 69 percent of normal. Snowfall totaled 0.5 inch and is 6 percent of the long term average.

    Rock Springs

    The average temperature in March was 36.7°F. This is 5.1°F warmder than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 71°F on the 22nd (record for the day) and the minimum for the month was 3°F occurring on the 4th. Seven days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of 0.07 inch is 9 percent of normal and represents the 2nd driest March since 1949. Snowfall totaled 0.7 inches and is 10 percent of the long term average.

    Evanston

    The average temperature in March was 35.3°F. This is 5.0°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 66°F on the 21st and the minimum for the month was 6°F occurring on the 2nd. Eight days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of 0.38 inch is 43 percent of normal. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches and is 60 percent of the long term average.

    Big Piney

    The average temperature in March was 26.7°F. This is 0.73°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 66°F on the 31st (record for the day) the minimum for the month was -9°F occurring on the 5th. Precipitation total of 0.05 inch is 9 percent of normal. Snowfall totaled 0.6 inch and is 14 percent of the long term average.

    Lander

    The average temperature in March was 38.0°F. This is 2.5°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 73°F on the 31st (record for the day) and the minimum for the month was 2°F occurring on the 3rd. Another record high was broken on the 24th (71 °F). Precipitation total of 0.03 inch is 2 percent of normal and represents the driest March since 1949. Snowfall totaled only a trace (17.6 inches is the long term average) and is 0 percent of the long term average. This amount also represents the least snowiest March since 1949.

  • past 30-days precipitation
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    Riverton

    The average temperature in February was 38.3°F. This is 3.4°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 74°F on the 31st (record for the day) and the minimum for the month of 0°F occurred on the 4th. Other record highs occurred on the 17th (62°F), 18th (65°F), 23rd (72°F), 24th (69°F), 29th (60°F), and 30th (70°F). Precipitation total of only a trace is 0 percent of normal and ties for the driest (1960) March since 1919. Snowfall totaled only a trace and is 0 percent of the long term average.

    Worland

    The average temperature in March was 42.2°F. This is 5.1°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 79°F on the 31st (record for the day) and the minimum for the month of 20°F occurred on the 7th and 14th. Precipitation total of only a trace is 0 percent of normal and represents the driest March since 1961. Snowfall totaled 0.5 inch and is 11 percent of the long term average.

    Sheridan

    The average temperature in March was 41.1°F. This is 5.8°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 80°F on the 31st (record for the day and the earliest 80°F in the year) and the minimum for the month of 12°F occurred on the 4th. Precipitation total of 0.43 inch is 43 percent of normal. Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches and is 22 percent of the long term average.

  • past 30-days precipitation
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    Casper

    The average temperature in March was 37.4°F. This is 2.4°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 75°F on the 31st (daily record) and the minimum for the month of -7°F occurred on the 2nd. Other record highs were on the 22nd (74°F), 23rd (73°F), and 26th (75°F). Six days during the month failed to fall to freezing or below! Precipitation total of 0.12 inch is 13 percent of normal and represents the driest March since 1949. Snowfall totaled 1.5 inches and is 11 percent of the long term average. This amount represents the least snowiest March since 1949.

  • past 30-days precipitation
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    Torrington

    The average temperature in March was 43.9°F. This is 6.4°F warmer than normal. The maximum temperature for the month was 81°F on the 31st and the minimum for the month of 11°F occurred on the 2nd. Precipitation total of 0.13 inch is 19 percent of normal. Snowfall totaled 1.0 inch and is 17 percent of the long term average.

    Additional Stations:

    Buffalo
    Douglas
    Gillette
    Greybull

    This information was compiled by the Wyoming State Climatologist, University of Wyoming. For more information, contact Jan Curtis at (307) 766-6659. For periodic updates, visit http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu This site includes a searchable database for Wyoming climate and water. For additional daily and hourly climatology, click on historical at the bottom of the daily summary statistics. For Casper, Lander, and Riverton's Monthly F6 reports, see here and at the bottom of this webpage. Record daily temperatures are based on the period since 1948-9 for all cities unless otherwise noted.

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    Wyoming State Climatologist The Wyoming State Climatologist Office is funded by the Wyoming Water Development Commission

    WEBMASTER: stateclim@wrds.uwyo.edu
    Last reviewed or update: April 2, 2004

    		 Water Resources Data System