Meteorological Spring 2018 Summary

Due to a record cold April, the spring of 2018 average colder-than-normal.  This was in despite May 2018 being among the 5 warmest.  Both precipitation and snowfall averaged above-than-normal.  More details for La Crosse WI & Rochester, MN.

...Another Wet Spring in La Crosse WI with Wild Swings in Temperatures...
 

The spring of 2018 was another wet one at La Crosse Regional Airport. It was the 17th wettest meteorological spring.  This is the 3rd time this decade and the 7th time this century that a spring has been among the 20 wettest springs.  While the spring temperatures averaged close to normal, it was far from that.  There were 21 days with temperatures 10 degrees or more colder-than-normal and 19 days with temperatures 10 degrees or more warmer-than-normal.

More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 
 

From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport had an average temperature of 47.1 degrees.  This was 0.5 degrees colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 47.6°F.  While the spring temperatures averaged close to normal, it was far from that.  There were 21 days with temperatures of 10°F or more colder-than-normal and 19 days with temperatures of 10°F or more warmer-than-normal.

The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

           Spring 2018 Temperatures
               in La Crosse WI

                  Average            Departure
   Month        Temperature         from Normal
   -----        -----------         -----------
   March       34.4 degrees        -0.1 degrees 
   April       39.3 degrees        -9.3 degrees - Coldest
   May         67.6 degrees        +7.9 degrees - 2nd Warmest
 
   Spring      47.1 degrees        -0.5 degrees 

• The warmest high temperature was 98 °F on May 27th.
• The coldest high temperature was 27°F on April 15th.
• The warmest low temperature was 74°F on May 29th.
• The coldest low temperature was 5°F on March 8th.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32°F on 4 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90°F on 4 Days - Tied for 5th most with 1874, 1911, and 1988.  The only ones which had more were 1934 with 9 days, 1972 with 7 days, 1998 with 5 days, and 1980 with 5 days.
• Minimum Temperature <= 32°F on 47 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0°F on  0 Days

Precipitation - 17th wettest
 

From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport received 11.53 inches of precipitation.  This was 2.63 inches wetter than the 1981-2010 spring normal of 8.90 inches.  This made it the 17th wettest meteorological spring.  This is the 3rd time this decade and the 7th time this century that a spring has been among the 20 wettest springs.  Below are the 20 wettest springs in La Crosse WI.

           Wettest Springs
           in La Crosse WI
               1873-2018

          Precipitation
  Rank        Total          Year
  ----     ------------      ----
    1      17.21 inches      1973
    2      16.53 inches      2013
    3      15.37 inches      1945
    4      15.04 inches      1991
    5      14.61 inches      2004
    6      13.83 inches      2017
    7      13.70 inches      1993
    8      13.61 inches      1888
    9      13.28 inches      1908
   10      13.11 inches      1903
   11      12.88 inches      1960
   12      12.41 inches      2008
   13      12.31 inches      1951
   14      12.29 inches      1892
   15      12.03 inches      1965
   16      11.97 inches      1876
   17      11.53 inches      2018
   18      11.51 inches      2006
   19      11.41 inches      1956
   20      11.38 inches      2015

The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

          Spring 2018 Precipitation 
               in La Crosse WI

                Precipitation         Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March        1.14 inches         -0.90 inches
   April        2.98 inches         -0.36 inches 
   May          7.41 inches         +3.89 inches -  6th Wettest
 
   Spring      11.53 inches         +2.63 inches - 17th Wettest

The wettest day was May 3rd when 1.22 inches of rain fell.

Measurable precipitation fell on 30 days (32.6%) and trace amounts on 12 days (13%).

Snowfall - 6th Snowiest

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near La Crosse Regional Airport recorded 25.1 inches. This was 16.3 inches snowier than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.8 inches.  This was the 6th most snow during a spring. Below are the 10 snowiest springs in La Crosse WI.

           Snowiest Springs
           in La Crosse WI
               1897-2018

            Snowfall
  Rank        Total          Year
  ----     -----------       ----
    1      33.5 inches       1959
    2      28.5 inches       1923
           28.5 inches       1909
    4      27.5 inches       1962
    5      26.9 inches       1956
    6      25.1 inches       2018
    7      24.7 inches       1951
    8      23.7 inches       1997
    9      23.1 inches       1900
   10      22.0 inches       1975

The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

             Spring 2018 Snowfall 
               in La Crosse WI

                   Snowfall           Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March         6.1 inches          -1.0 inch 
   April        19.0 inches         +17.3 inches - Snowiest
   May             0 inches           0.0 inches
 
   Spring       25.1 inches         +16.3 inches - 6th Snowiest

The snowiest day was on April 3rd when 6.7 inches of snow fell.

Measurable snow fell on 8 days (8.7%) and trace amounts on 11 days (12%).
  

...A Colder and Slightly Wetter-than-Normal Spring at Rochester MN...

During the spring of 2018, temperatures were colder-than-normal and the precipitation was slightly wetter-than-normal at Rochester International Airport.  More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 
 

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport had an average temperature of 43.1°F.  This was 2.6 degrees colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 45.7°F.  The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

           Spring 2018 Temperatures
               in Rochester MN

                  Average            Departure
   Month        Temperature         from Normal
   -----        -----------         -----------
   March       30.5 degrees        -1.9 degrees 
   April       34.5 degrees       -12.2 degrees - Coldest
   May         64.1 degrees        +6.0 degrees - 3rd Warmest
 
   Spring      43.1 degrees        -2.6 degrees 

• The warmest high temperature was 95°F on May 28th.
• The coldest high temperature was 23°F on March 7th.
• The warmest low temperature was 67°F on May 28th.
• The coldest low temperature was 5°F on March 8th.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32°F on 14 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90°F on 6 Days - 2nd Most  The only one with more was 1934 with 10 days.
• Minimum Temperature <= 32°F on 52 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0°F on  0 Days

Precipitation - 
 

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport received 9.28 inches of precipitation.  This was 0.53 inches wetter than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.75 inches.  The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

          Spring 2018 Precipitation 
               in Rochester MN

                Precipitation         Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March        0.91 inches         -0.97 inches 
   April        3.18 inches         -0.06 inches
   May          5.19 inches         +1.56 inches - 20th Wettest

   Spring       9.28 inches         +0.53 inches

The wettest day was May 11th when 1.61 inches of rain fell.

Measurable precipitation fell on 30 days (32.6%) and trace amounts on 11 days (12%).

Snowfall - 8th Snowiest
 

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near Rochester International Airport recorded 24.0 inches of snow. This was 12.3 inches snowier than the 1981-2010 normal of 12.0 inches.  This was the 8th most snow during a spring. The snowiest spring occurred in 2013 when 42.2 inches of snow fell.  Below are the 10 snowiest springs in Rochester MN.

           Snowiest Springs
           in Rochester MN
               1887-2018

            Snowfall
  Rank        Total          Year
  ----     -----------       ----
    1      42.2 inches       2013
    2      36.1 inches       1951
    3      30.0 inches       1952
    4      29.1 inches       1962
    5      29.0 inches       1985
    6      27.6 inches       1983
    7      26.2 inches       1956
    8      24.0 inches       2018
    9      23.7 inches       1980
   10      23.4 inches       1961

The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2018.

             Spring 2018 Snowfall 
               in Rochester MN

                   Snowfall           Departure
   Month            Total            from Normal
   -----        ------------         -----------
   March         7.0 inches          -5.3 inches 
   April        17.0 inches         +13.7 inches - Snowiest
   May           0.0 inches           0.0 inches
 
   Spring       24.0 inches         +12.3 inches - 8th Snowiest

The snowiest day was on March 1st when 7.0 inches of snow fell.

Measurable snow fell on 10 days (10.9%) and trace amounts on 1 day (1.1%).