Meteorological Spring Climate Summary

The Upper Mississippi River Valley saw near-normal temperatures during meteorological spring (March 1-May 31).  With the exception of southwest Wisconsin and Mitchell and Floyd counties in northeast Iowa, it was wetter-than-normal spring.  Snowfall was below-normal across the region this spring.  

Temperature Anomalies	Precipitation Anomalies	Snowfall Anomalies

More specifics for La Crosse WI and Rochester MN can be found below.

La Crosse, WI

...Meteorological Spring 2020 Summary for La Crosse WI...

The meteorological spring of 2020 was warmer (1.2°F warmer-than-normal) and drier-than-normal (1.06" drier-than-normal) at La Crosse Regional Airport.  It was the warmest spring since 2017 (49°F) and driest spring since 2010 (6.26").  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 48.8°F.  This was 1.2°F warmer than the 1981-2010 normal of 47.6°F. The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2020.

        Spring 2020 Temperatures
             in La Crosse WI

             Average       Departure
   Month   Temperature    from Normal
   -----   -----------    -----------
   March   40.0 degrees   +5.5 degrees - 12th Warmest 
   April   47.0 degrees   -1.6 degrees 
   May     59.5 degrees   -0.2 degrees 
 
   Spring  48.8 degrees   +1.2 degrees 

• The average high temperature was 58.6°F.  This was 0.6°F warmer than the 1981-2010 normal of 58°F.
• The average low temperature was 39.1°F.  This was 1.8°F warmer than the 1981-2010 normal of 37.3°F.
   
• The warmest high temperature was 89°F on May 26.
• The coldest high temperature was 35°F on April 14.
• The warmest low temperature was 69°F on May 27.
• The coldest low temperature was 19°F on March 15.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 0 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 0 Days 
• Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 27 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  0 Days

Precipitation - 

From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport received 7.84" of precipitation.  This was 1.06" drier than the 1981-2010 spring normal of 8.90".  This was only the 5th spring since 2000 to be drier-than-normal.  The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2020.

        Spring 2020 Precipitation
             in La Crosse WI

           Precipitation   Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March    2.93 inches   +0.89 inches
   April    1.63 inches   -1.71 inches
   May      3.28 inches   -0.24 inches
 
   Spring   7.84 inches   -1.06 inches

• The wettest day was May 25 when 1.08 inches of rain fell.
• Measurable precipitation fell on 35 days (38 percent) and trace amounts on another 14 days (15.2 percent).

Snowfall - 

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near La Crosse Regional Airport recorded 3.9". This was 4.9" less than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.8".  Since 2000, 12 springs have had lower than normal snowfall.  The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2020.

          Spring 2020 Snowfall
             in La Crosse WI

             Snowfall      Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March     1.4 inches   -5.7 inches - 18th Least
   April     2.5 inches   +0.8 inches
   May       0.0 inches    0.0 inches
 
   Spring    3.9 inches   -4.9 inches 

• The snowiest day was on April 12 when 1.5" of snow fell.
• Measurable snow fell on 6 days (6.5 percent) and trace amounts on another 5 days (5.4 percent).

Rochester, MN

...Meteorological Spring 2020 Summary for Rochester MN...

The meteorological spring of 2020 was slightly colder (0.8°F colder-than-normal) and wetter-than-normal (0.58" wetter-than-normal) at Rochester International Airport.  It was the warmest spring since 2017 (45.1°F) and driest spring since 2018 (9.28").  More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport had an average temperature of 44.9°F.  This was 0.8°F 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 2020.

        Spring 2020 Temperatures
             in Rochester MN

             Average       Departure
   Month   Temperature    from Normal
   -----   -----------    -----------
   March   35.7 degrees   +3.3 degrees - 16th Warmest
   April   42.8 degrees   -3.9 degrees 
   May     56.2 degrees   -1.9 degrees 
 
   Spring  44.9 degrees   -0.8 degrees  

• The average high temperature was 54.1F.  This was 1.3°F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 55.4°F.
• The average low temperature was 35.8F.  This was 0.2°F colder than the 1981-2010 normal of 36.0°F.
   
• The warmest high temperature was 81°F on May 26.
• The coldest high temperature was 26°F on April 14.
• The warmest low temperature was 65°F on May 27.
• The coldest low temperature was 8°F on April 15.
   
• Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 6 Days
• Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 0 Days 
• Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 44 Days
• Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  0 Days

Precipitation - 

From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport received 9.33" of precipitation.  This was 0.58" wetter than the 1981-2010 normal of 8.75".  Every spring during the past decade were wetter-than-normal.  The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2020.

        Spring 2020 Precipitation
             in Rochester MN

           Precipitation   Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March    2.51 inches   +0.63 inches
   April    1.82 inches   -1.42 inches
   May      5.00 inches   +1.37 inches
 
   Spring   9.33 inches   +0.58 inches

• The wettest day was May 17th when 2.20" of rain fell.
• Measurable precipitation fell on 38 days (41.3 percent) and trace amounts fell on another 10 days (10.9 percent).

Snowfall - 

From March 1st through May 31st, the snow observer near Rochester International Airport recorded 10.5 inches of snow. This was 1.5" less than the 1981-2010 normal of 12.0".  Since 2000, 12 springs have had lower than normal snowfall.  The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2020.

          Spring 2020 Snowfall
             in Rochester MN

             Snowfall      Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March     2.0 inches   -6.7 inches - 11th Least
   April     8.5 inches   +5.2 inches - 11th Snowiest
   May         Trace       0.0 inches
 
   Spring   10.5 inches   -1.5 inches 

• The snowiest day was on April 12 when 7.5" of snow fell.
• Measurable snow fell on 11 days (12 percent) and trace amounts fell on another 4 days (4.3 percent).