The relatively mild winter conditions persisted for February, finishing nearly 11 degrees above its normal and making it the 5^th warmest on record. The average of 33.3 degrees was only a degree off what a normal March can expect. The first 60 degree day of the young year occurred on the 17^th, fifth earliest occurrence of 60 degrees in a year in La Crosse. It would reach 60 or warmer 5 times for the month, most for a February. In addition, there were no below zero temperatures – a rare occurrence for February, which is accustom to around 6 such days.  While total precipitation for the month was right around its normal, it was a dry month on the whole. Nearly all the precipitation came as rain on the 20^th (0.55” – half the monthly total), and then snowfall on the 24^th (3.4” – 87% of the snow that fell in February). Only a trace of precipitation fell from the 2^nd through the 19th.

The winter months of December through February averaged 26.9 degrees, making it the 7^th warmest winter on record in La Crosse. Meanwhile, the 6.05” of liquid equivalent precipitation marked it as the 6^th wettest.

Temperatures and precipitation were more in line with what is expected for a typical March – just a degree above normal for temps and a1/4” below normal for precipitation. The bulk of March’s snowfall came on two days, with the 1^st and 12^th both recording 3 ½ inches. The last measurable snowfall of the 2016-17 winter season would fall a day later, on the 13^th (1/2 inch). That is the 10^th earlier last occurrence of measurable snow in La Crosse, and well ahead of the average which is the first week of April.

April experienced the usual swings in temperature that are typical for this spring month with highs in the 70s one day, dropping into the 40s two days later. On the whole, it was a mild April finishing almost 4 degrees above normal. The first 70 degree day for 2017 occurred on the 8^th (77) which is right on the average. The last freezing day for the winter season came on the morning of the 28^th, also right on the average. It was a wet month with 11 days recording over 1/10 of an inch – second most in any April and well above the average of 6.

Temperatures ran the gamut in May with a high as low as 43 on the 1^st, to as warm as 86 on the 16^th. On the whole, temperatures finished just a bit below the monthly normal. It was a wet month, mostly thanks to the 4 ½ inches that fell over the 15^th through 17^th. The total for the entire month was 7.20”, making it the 7^th wettest May on record for La Crosse. Measurable rain fell on 17 days, 9^th most for May and well above the average of 12.  The latter half of the month was especially soggy – starting from the 15^th there were only 2 days without any rainfall (30^th and 31^st).  The last snowfall for the 2016-17 season came in the form of flurries on the 1^st.

Precipitation for the months of March, April and May came to 13.83 inches, making it the 6^th wettest spring on record for La Crosse. There were 44 days with measurable precipitation, also 6^th most in any spring.

August would round out the summer months on a much drier and cooler note. Temperatures were generally right about the normals without much fluctuation “up or down”. There were 10 days with measurable rainfall, right on the average. However, when it rained it wasn’t much. On 6 of those days the rainfall was under 1/10 of an inch, with the max for any day only 0.35”. The monthly total was only 1.06” – 9^th driest August on record, and closer to normal precipitation for February rather than August.

September got the traditional fall months off to a very mild start – averaging over 6 degrees above its normal and tying for the 2^nd warmest September on record (68.8 F). Highs reached or exceeded 80 degrees on 16 days – 4^th most for September and well above its average of 7. There were also 5 days with 90 degrees or better (only averages 1 day). August’s drying persisted for September. There were only 8 days with measurable rainfall with the 0.53” total on the 25^th accounting for over ½ of the month’s total. The total for the month of 0.95 inches made it the 9^th driest September on record.

The very dry August and September combined for only 2.01 inches of rain for  La Crosse, the second driest Aug-Sep on record. 

While November temperatures finished just a bit above normal, it was a tale of two halves. The start of the month was cool with average temperatures below normal on 12 out of the first 15 days. For the end of the month, it was above normal on 12 of the remaining 15. Highs even reached 60 degrees or greater twice (on the 24^th and 27^th). These were the last 60 degree days of the year and about 2 weeks later than the average last occurrence. It was a very dry November with measurable precipitation falling on 5 days for a monthly total of 0.35 inches (13^th driest on record). Only a trace came in the form of snowfall -  making it one of 15 Novembers where a trace to no snow fell (normal is 4.1 inches).

Temperatures for September through November averaged 53.2 degrees, making it the 8^th warmest fall on record for La Crosse.

Despite December’s average temperature finishing around its normal, it was anything but. The month started out very mild, with above normal temperatures on 18 of the first 22 days. It even reached 62 on the 4^th, the last 60 degree day for 2017 and the 8^th latest occurrence of a 60 degree on record for La Crosse. The end of the month would take a turn toward the frigid with single digit highs on 4 out of the last 6 days, only reaching 0 on the 31^st. December was a dry month, almost an inch below normal. There was measurable precipitation on 9 days (right on the December average), but 6 of those recorded less than 0.05”. Snow was also lacking with just over 4 inches falling for the month. There were 9 days of measurable snow and 12 days with flurries. So, La Crosse saw at least a little snow on most days during the month, but it didn’t amount to much.