000
CXUS56 KOTX 021425
CLMGEG

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE, WA
725 AM PDT TUE APR 2 2013

...................................

...THE SPOKANE WA AIRPORT CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013...

MARCH 2013 FOR NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND THE NORTHERN IDAHO PANHANDLE
BROUGHT TYPICAL EARLY SPRING CONDITIONS WITH SEVERAL CHANGES IN THE
WEATHER.  HOWEVER MOST LOCATIONS FINISHED MARCH DRIER THAN NORMAL
EXCEPT FOR A FEW PLACES IN THE IDAHO PANHANDLE.  THIS WAS A BIG
CHANGE FROM A YEAR AGO WHERE SEVERAL LOCATIONS HAD THE WETTEST MARCH
ON RECORD IN MARCH OF 2012.  ON THE 6TH AND 7TH COOL AND WET
CONDITIONS DOMINATED WITH SPOKANE AIRPORT PICKING UP NEAR AN INCH OF
SNOW.  THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE OKANOGAN VALLEY AND HIGHLANDS
RECEIVED LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS AS WELL.  WARMER CONDITIONS THEN
FOLLOWED WITH SPOKANE HITTING THE FIRST 60 DEGREE DAY OF THE YEAR ON
THE 14TH WITH A HIGH OF 61.  THIS WARMTH WAS SHORT LIVED AS A STRONG
COLD FRONT BROUGHT WINDY CONDITIONS ON THE 16TH AND 17TH.  HEAVY
SNOW FELL IN THE CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS BEHIND THE FRONT WITH
LOOKOUT PASS RECEIVING 8-12 INCHES OF SNOW.  AFTER A BRIEF WARM UP
TO NORMAL TEMPERATURES ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT PASSED THROUGH ON
THE 20TH.  THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG THE FRONT WITH LOCALIZED
DAMAGING WINDS.  ESTIMATED WINDS OF 70-80 MPH NEAR RATHDRUM LED TO A
SWATH OF DOWNED TREES 150 YARDS WIDE AND 1/2 MILE LONG.  A
BARN...HOUSE...AND TRAILER WERE DAMAGED.  DOWNED TREES WERE ALSO
REPORTED AT NEWMAN LAKE.  COOL TEMPERATURES AND SPOTTY SHOWERS
DOMINATED BEHIND THE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE 25TH.  TEMPERATURES
REBOUNDED AT THE END OF THE MONTH WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING TO WELL
ABOVE NORMAL.

TWO RECORDS WERE SET AT SPOKANE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DURING THE
MONTH.  ON THE 14TH THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 44 DEGREES WHICH WAS THE
WARMEST ON RECORD FOR THE DATE.  ON THE 20TH THE WETTEST DAY ON
RECORD WAS RECORDED WITH 0.40 INCHES.

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1881 TO 2013

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              74   03/30/1881
 LOW              -10   03/03/1891
HIGHEST            68   03/31        MM      MM       63  03/09
LOWEST             22   03/23        MM      MM       21  03/07
AVG. MAXIMUM     50.4              48.9     1.5     46.4
AVG. MINIMUM     32.0              31.6     0.4     30.9
MEAN             41.2              40.2     1.0     38.6
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      0               0.6    -0.6        0
DAYS MIN <= 32     17              15.6     1.4       20
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.0     0.0        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         4.56   2012
 MINIMUM         0.12   1909
TOTALS           0.82              1.61   -0.79     4.56
DAILY AVG.       0.03              0.05   -0.02     0.15
DAYS >= .01         8              11.6    -3.6       16
DAYS >= .10         3               5.9    -2.9       14
DAYS >= .50         0               0.5    -0.5        2
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        1
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.40   03/20 TO 03/20           03/14 TO 03/15

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           16.4   1897
TOTALS            0.9               3.5    -2.6      5.5
SINCE 7/1        43.5              43.8    -0.3     35.7
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      0                MM      MM        0
DAYS >= 1.0         0               1.2    -1.2        2
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH         1   03/07                          3  03/22
                                                          03/02
                                                          03/01
 24 HR TOTAL      0.8   MM                       03/22 TO 03/22


DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     730               767     -37      809
 SINCE 7/1       5267              5596    -329     5488
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0
...................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.8
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    39/260    DATE  03/18
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    46/230    DATE  03/20

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.70
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             14
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         12

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     65

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                1     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN                8     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       1
LIGHT SNOW                8     SLEET                      1
FOG                      12     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      4
HAZE                      2

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

$$