Relatively cold weather continued during March in Southern New England. It was the fifth consecutive colder than normal month, and, relative to normal, the coldest of the bunch. The temperature in Providence, RI averaged just 34° for the month, 4.9° below normal. It was the twelfth coldest March on record dating back to 1905. It was the coldest March since 1984. In Worcester, MA, it was the fourth coldest on record, and coldest since 1960. Boston, MA was 4.8° colder than normal, and the coldest since 1984. Hartford, CT saw the fourth coldest March since 1950, and the coldest since 1960.
Most of the month was dry, but the large rainstorm at the end of the month more than made up for the rainfall deficit. The flooding rain storm pushed the monthly total in Providence to 6.98″, well above the monthly normal of 5.01″. March is the wettest month of the year based on the 30-year average rainfall.
Somewhat surprisingly, snowfall was well below normal even though it was very cold. There was only 1.2″ of snow for month, less than 20% of the monthly normal of 5.5″.
The last time a stretch from November 1 to March 31 was colder than the past five months was in 1977-1978.
