A far-too-long winter’s cold drags on

By Reed Anfinson

Publisher

It appears that March 2023 is about to set a record for the longest the new year has gone without a 40-degree high.

The latest into the new year that the area has failed to see a high of 40 degrees occurred in 2013. It didn’t reach into the 40s until March 29 that year when a temperature of 45 degrees was finally recorded.

March 1965 is the only March in which there wasn’t a 40-degree temperature recorded. However, in February that year the temperature hit 43 degrees Feb. 27 and 40 degrees Feb. 28. March 2023 is about to join 1965’s dubious record of no 40-degree high.

So far, the highest temperature the area has seen this year is 37 degrees, achieved three times in February and once so far in March. The last 40-degree temperature the area saw was Nov. 26 when it reached 46 degrees – 129 days ago.  December saw a high of 39 on the 4th.

March 1965 is also the coldest March on record. Highs that month averaged just 26.7 degrees, 12.3 degrees below the average of 39 degrees. Lows averaged 7 degrees in March 1965, 14 degrees below the average of 21.

Based on the current forecast, March 2023 will end up the third coldest on record and the coldest in 58 years.

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