John Wheeler: March has been warmer than average, but not extremely so

FARGO — Our region entered the month of March with little to no winter snowpack to melt away, opening up optimism that the spring might come early. In a way, it has. March temperatures have been an average of about 7 degrees warmer than average per day this month.

But despite a few very balmy days, most of our region has missed out on any extremely or unusually warm days.There have been no days in the 70s or 80s in either Fargo or Grand Forks although Fargo did record three days in the 60s, including 68 degrees on March 14. Grand Forks recorded its only 60 degree day of the month that same day at 64 degrees.



Despite the relative absence of snow to melt, the upper level winds have been mostly northwesterly due to a blocking pattern over the northern Pacific Ocean, which has forced a high pressure ridge along the West Coast, keeping our weather coming mostly out of the northwest.]]>.