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More mild weather on tap in March as spring approaches.

Tom Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

February 9, 2016

3 Min Read

If you put stock in the long-range forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, you would bet on another month of relatively mild weather extending through March in Indiana. That would continue the overall mild trend that has visited most of the state this winter.

mild_march_expected_round_winter_across_indiana_1_635906058477447553.jpg

If the forecast holds accurate, as NOAA forecasts have proven relatively accurate going back to last fall, most of Indiana will experience higher than normal temperatures during the month of March. The northern portion of the state will experience the largest departure from normal, notes Ken Scheeringa, associate Indiana State Climatologist. The southern regions could remain closer to normal on temperature, he adds. 

Precipitation, on the other hand, is expected to be lower than normal statewide, Scheeringa says. Northeast Indiana could experience the largest departure from normal.

The northeast crop reporting district , based on 30-year climatological data, averages less precipitation for the month of March than any other district in Indiana (see table.) if predictions are right and you live there, you could see even less precipitation than normal this year in March.

With higher-than-normal temperatures expected over much of the state, what precipitation that does fall will likely be as rain. You can’t rule snow out, Scheeringa notes, but climatological winter ends Feb. 29. March snow amounts are typically minimal in most years anyway. 

If you want to go beyond this general forecast and find out more information on your own, try these 10 Websites.

iclimate.org

This is the home page for the Indiana State Climate Office. It’s a great portal to move to other sites through ‘useful links.’

ncdc.noaa.gov/snow-and-ice/recentsnow/

Use this location to track current snow totals on the most recent snow events.

Usclimatedata.com

You will find weather temperature and precipitation normal for any location in the U.S. here- and it is .com, not .org.

cpc.noaa.gov/products/predictions

Here are where you can find long-term predictions going out 90 days for different 90-day periods. For example, the Jan. 31 prediction for May, June and July called for above-normal temperatures for most of Indiana, and below normal rainfall for northern and central Indiana. These predictions are updated frequently.

Extremeweathermakers.com/indot-forecasts

Get up-to-date road information across Indiana at this site.

 nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/windchill.shtml

Ever wonder where TV weather personalities get those chilling wind-chill predictions? You will find one easy-to-read chart at this site which makes you as knowledgeable as they are!

usclimatedata.com

Learn about climate information and climate prediction at this site.

droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

Easy-to-read maps show where it’s drier than normal in the U.S. As of Feb. 1, no areas within Indiana were in any stage of drought, according to the maps.

aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.php

Find complete tables for sunrise and sunset times for the year here. It also addresses the same information for the moon.

nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Indiana/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/index.php

Make this a favorite to follow crop progress and weather conditions statewide.

About the Author(s)

Tom Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

Tom Bechman is an important cog in the Farm Progress machinery. In addition to serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, Tom is nationally known for his coverage of Midwest agronomy, conservation, no-till farming, farm management, farm safety, high-tech farming and personal property tax relief. His byline appears monthly in many of the 18 state and regional farm magazines published by Farm Progress.

"I consider it my responsibility and opportunity as a farm magazine editor to supply useful information that will help today's farm families survive and thrive," the veteran editor says.

Tom graduated from Whiteland (Ind.) High School, earned his B.S. in animal science and agricultural education from Purdue University in 1975 and an M.S. in dairy nutrition two years later. He first joined the magazine as a field editor in 1981 after four years as a vocational agriculture teacher.

Tom enjoys interacting with farm families, university specialists and industry leaders, gathering and sifting through loads of information available in agriculture today. "Whenever I find a new idea or a new thought that could either improve someone's life or their income, I consider it a personal challenge to discover how to present it in the most useful form, " he says.

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