Climatological Report (Seasonal)
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana

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CXUS53 KIWX 052031 CCA
CLSFWA

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
431 PM EDT MON JUN 05 2023

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

...THE FORT WAYNE CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE SEASON, FROM
3/1/2023 TO 5/31/2023...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1897 TO 2023

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR`S
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE
                                          NORMAL
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             97   05/28/2018
 LOW             -10   03/01/1967
HIGHEST           90   05/30         MM      MM       92
LOWEST            18   03/15         MM      MM       16
                       03/19
AVG. MAXIMUM    61.5               60.3     1.2     61.5
AVG. MINIMUM    39.0               39.7    -0.7     41.3
MEAN            50.3               50.0     0.3
DAYS MAX >= 90     1                1.1    -0.1        1
DAYS MAX <= 32     1                2.7    -1.7        1
DAYS MIN <= 32    28               27.8     0.2       21
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.1    -0.1        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       18.50   2011
 MINIMUM        5.07   1958
TOTALS         10.88              11.13   -0.25     8.79
DAILY AVG.      0.12               0.12   -0.00     0.09
DAYS >= .01       35               38.6    -3.6       40
DAYS >= .10       20               22.1    -2.1       21
DAYS >= .50        7                7.1    -0.1        8
DAYS >= 1.00       4                2.3     1.7        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   1.93   03/22 TO 03/23

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL          19.5   1964
 24 HR TOTAL     4.2   04/20/2021 TO 04/20/2021
TOTALS           4.1                5.4    -1.3      2.3
SINCE 7/1       21.7               33.6   -11.9     23.2
SNOWDEPTH AVG.     0                                  -1
DAYS >= TRACE     10                5.7     4.3       13
DAYS >= 1.0        2                1.8     0.2        0
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH        1   03/10                           0
                       03/12
 24 HR TOTAL     1.7   03/10 TO 03/10

DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL   1389               1448     -59     1344
 SINCE 7/1      5347               5943    -596     5589
COOLING TOTAL     57                 69     -12      119
 SINCE 1/1        57                 70     -13      119
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.9
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    45/260    DATE  03/31
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    68/260    DATE  03/31

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.64
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           16
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             36
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         40

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     63

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              9     MIXED PRECIP               3
HEAVY RAIN                8     RAIN                      12
LIGHT RAIN               43     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       2
LIGHT SNOW               10     SLEET                      0
FOG                      37     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      0
HAZE                     10

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

&&

BY THE END OF MARCH, FORT WAYNE WAS EXPERIENCING ITS SEVENTH WETTEST
START TO THE YEAR. BY THE END OF MAY, HOWEVER, A FLASH DROUGHT WAS
DEVELOPING WITH A PROLONGED STRETCH OF DRY WEATHER. TEMPERATURES
OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS FEATURED THEIR USUAL MIDWEST-SPRING
SWINGS AND AS A RESULT ENDED UP NEAR NORMAL AFTER ALL.

TOTAL PRECIPITATION WAS 10.88 INCHES WHICH IS ONLY 0.25 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL. SNOWFALL TOTALED 4.1 INCHES WHICH IS 1.3 INCHES BELOW
NORMAL. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 50.3 DEGREES IS ONLY 0.3 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL.

SPRING SEVERE WEATHER PEAKED ON MARCH 31 WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
PRODUCED 13 TORNADOES, LARGE HAIL, AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THIS WAS
THE GREATEST SINGLE-DAY TORNADO OUTBREAK IN OUR FORECAST AREA SINCE
14 TORNADOES OCCURRED ON AUGUST 24, 2016.

A MONTH-BY-MONTH SUMMARY IS BELOW.

MARCH
SPRING CAN BE A WILD MONTH AROUND HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO
TEMPERATURES. MARCH 2023 WAS NO DIFFERENT. THE FIRST NINE DAYS OF
MARCH WERE MILD, WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURE FOR THAT
STRETCH 6.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH TURNED
NOTABLY COLDER, ESPECIALLY ON THE 18TH AND 19TH WHEN THE DAILY
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WAS ONLY 24 DEGREES AND 28 DEGREES. THE END OF
THE MONTH WAS GENERALLY COLD AS WELL, BUT THE 31ST NEARLY OFFSET
THOSE LATE COOLER-THAN-NORMAL DAYS WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR
THE DAY OF 55 WHICH IS 11 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH, 63, AND THE MINIMUM OF 18 SHOWCASE THE
MONTH`S TYPICAL VOLATILITY. OVERALL, THE MONTH`S AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
OF 38.9 DEGREES WAS 0.3 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

TOTAL SNOW FOR THE MONTH WAS 4.1 INCHES WHICH IS ONLY ONE-HALF INCH
BELOW NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 51ST GREATEST SNOW TOTAL ON RECORD.
THIS IS THE GREATEST MARCH SNOW TOTAL INCHES 8.6 INCHES IN 2015.

WET CONDITIONS FROM FEBRUARY CARRIED OVER INTO MARCH AS TOTAL
PRECIPITATION WAS 2.05 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS RESULTED IN MANY
RIVERS REACHING ACTION STAGE OR MINOR FLOOD STAGE. SEVERE WEATHER
LATE IN THE MONTH NOT ONLY BROUGHT SOAKING RAIN, BUT ALSO HAIL,
DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND, AND TORNADOES TO THE REGION. THIS RANKS
AS THE 14TH WETTEST MARCH ON RECORD. THIS IS THE WETTEST MARCH
SINCE 5.70 INCHES WAS RECORDED IN 2009.

FROM JANUARY 1 THROUGH MARCH 31, FORT WAYNE CURRENTLY RANKS AS THE
7TH WETTEST ON RECORD, MEASURING 11.77 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. THIS
IS THE WETTEST START TO THE YEAR SINCE 12.12 INCHES IN 1990.

NO RECORDS WERE SET FOR FORT WAYNE.

APRIL
BROWN APRIL FEATURED AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL STRETCH OF WEATHER FROM
THE 8TH THROUGH 16TH, WITH DRY CONDITIONS, AND HIGH TEMPERATURES
EVENTUALLY SOARING INTO THE 80S. A NEW RECORD HIGH WAS RECORDED ON
THE 14TH. THE HIGH OF 83 BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 81 SET IN
1910. A SECOND RECORD WAS TIED, WITH 1985, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE
REACHED 84 ON THE 20TH. TEMPERATURES MET OR EXCEEDED 80 DEGREES FOUR
TIMES THIS MONTH. THIS IS THE GREATEST NUMBER OF 80-DEGREE DAYS
SINCE APRIL 2010 WHEN FIVE 80-DEGREE DAYS WERE RECORDED.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, A RECORD LOW WAS SET ON THE 26TH WHEN THE
TEMPERATURE WAS 28. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 29 IN 2006.

SUCH PLEASANT SPRING WEATHER IS AN ANOMALY HERE IN THE MIDWEST, SO
OF COURSE COOLER AND WETTER WEATHER EVENTUALLY SETTLED IN. THE
DREARY WEATHER THAT TOOK SHAPE AFTER THAT MILD STRETCH, AND AGAIN IN
THE FINAL DAYS OF APRIL, WAS THE RESULT OF A LINGERING UPPER-LEVEL
LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES. OVERALL, THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE
MONTH WAS 50.9 DEGREES, WHICH IS 0.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. APRIL
2023 RANKS AS THE 35TH COOLEST ON RECORD. THIS IS THE WARMEST APRIL
SINCE 2017, WHICH HAD AN AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE OF 55.2 DEGREES.

FOLLOWING A WET START TO SPRING, APRIL DRIED OUT, ESPECIALLY MID-
MONTH. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.96 INCHES WHICH IS 1.78 INCHES BELOW
NORMAL. THIS IS THE 14TH DRIEST APRIL ON RECORD AND THE DRIEST APRIL
SINCE 2012, WHICH HAD 1.29 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. THERE WAS A
TRACE OF SNOW THIS MONTH.

...FLASH DROUGHT TO CONCLUDE THE MONTH...
MAY STARTED NOTABLY COLD WITH A TRACE OF SNOWFALL AND AN
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURE THROUGH THE 4TH OF ABOUT 12 DEGREES
BELOW NORMAL. CHEERFUL SPRING WEATHER ARRIVED SOON AFTER WITH HIGHS
IN THE 70S AND 80S. A COUPLE OF SOAKING THUNDERSTORMS (7TH AND 12TH)
ACCOUNTED FOR 3.08 INCHES OF THIS MONTH`S 4.06 INCH PRECIPITATION
TOTAL. THESE TWO SOAKING RAIN EVENTS PROVIDED A BUFFER AHEAD OF THE
VERY DRY CONDITIONS THAT DEVELOPED LATE IN THE MONTH. THE QUICK
ONSET OF DRY CONDITIONS IS KNOWN AS A FLASH DROUGHT.

THIS FLASH DROUGHT WAS A RESULT OF AN OMEGA BLOCK (AS WELL AS A REX
BLOCK LATER ON) OVER THE REGION WHICH CUT-OFF THE FLOW OF MOISTURE
TO OUR LOCAL AREA, WHILE HIGH PRESSURE STEERED ANY SHOWER AND STORM
CHANCES ELSEWHERE.

DRY WEATHER PERSISTED FOR 11 STRAIGHT DAYS WHICH HAS OCCURRED
NUMEROUS TIMES (RANKS AS AS 215TH OVERALL, TIED AS 19TH LONGEST
BASED ON NUMBER OF DAYS, WHERE 41 DAYS IS THE LONGEST ENDING
SEPTEMBER 27, 1908) IN THE PERIOD OF RECORD. THE RECORD BOOKS ALSO
SHOW THAT, IN INSTANCES OF 11 CONSECUTIVE DRY DAYS OR MORE, THE
ENDING DATE WAS IN MAY 15 TIMES. EIGHT OF THOSE 15-TIMES HAVE AN END
DATE IN THE FINAL 10-DAYS OF THE MONTH. RECENT STRETCHES OF DRY
WEATHER INCLUDE JUNE 25, 2022, WHEN A 12-DAY DRY STRETCH ENDED. THE
YEAR 2021 FEATURED FOUR DIFFERENT DRY PERIODS, RANGING FROM 16 DAYS
(ENDING MAY 25) TO 11 DAYS. ALL THAT TO SAY, THESE PROLONGED
STRETCHES OF DRY WEATHER DO OCCUR SOMEWHAT OFTEN IN THE AREA.

ON ONE HAND, THIS DRY WEATHER WAS BENEFICIAL FOR THOSE CUTTING HAY
AND PLANTING. ON THE OTHER HAND, SUCH A LONG STRETCH OF DRY WEATHER
CAUSED CONCERN FOR NEWLY-PLANTED CROPS.

PRECIPITATION TOTALED 4.06 INCHES WHICH RANKS AS THE 75TH DRIEST ON
RECORD. THE PRECIPITATION TOTAL IS 0.52 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.

A TRACE OF SNOW WAS RECORDED ON MAY 1, WHICH IS ABOVE-NORMAL FOR THE
MONTH AND IS THE 4TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD FOR THE MONTH. MAY 2020 ALSO
FEATURED A TRACE OF SNOW.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS 73.4 DEGREES WHICH IS 1.2
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. ONE 90-DEGREE DAY WAS RECORDED; ON THE 30TH.
THIS IS 15 DAYS AHEAD OF THE NORMAL START DATE OF 90-DEGREE
TEMPERATURES, JUNE 13TH.

TWO PRECIPITATION RECORDS WERE BROKEN THIS MONTH. ON THE 7TH, 1.53
INCHES BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.08 INCHES IN 2004. ON THE
12TH, 1.55 INCHES BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.05 INCHES SET IN
1914.

BROWN/JOHNSON

$$


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