Midwest Weekly Highlights - March 1-10, 2008

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In Like a Lion

The first few days of March teased the Midwest with warmer, more spring-like temperatures before several storm systems slammed through the area with thunderstorms, flooding, ice and record snows. Although meteorological spring arrived on March 1st, winter had not yet finished with the Midwest. The first ten days of March saw below average temperatures across the entire region, ranging from more than 12 degrees below normal in northern Minnesota to just below normal in the eastern Midwest (Figure 1). The systems, which tracked mostly across the southern portions of the Midwest, resulted in a large north to south variation in precipitation percent of mean. Areas of Ohio received three to four times their normal precipitation while Minnesota and northern Wisconsin received less than half (Figure 2). Unfortunately, it was just these areas that needed the precipitation as abnormally dry conditions exist in the northwestern corner of Minnesota, north-central Wisconsin and the western half of the Upper Peninsula (Figure 3). The areas of southeastern Kentucky in moderate drought (D1) received some much needed precipitation later in the period. Much of the precipitation that occurred during the first ten days of March fell as record setting snows across Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio (Figure 4).
 

Winter Won't Let Go

The first day of March was relatively pleasant across much of the Midwest, but by the morning of March 2 a storm system was organizing over the Central Plains (Figure 5), one that would plague Midwest weather for the next three days as it slowly moved east. Many rivers and streams in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana were experiencing flood conditions as a combination of precipitation, frozen ground, snow melt, and ice jams caused water levels to rise. Flood watches covered the southern half of the Midwest as heavy rain was anticipated with the next system (Figure 6). However, the heaviest precipitation with this system fell from southern Missouri through the Ohio Valley, with precipitation lighter than expected further north (Figure 7). A band of two to four inches of snow fell from northeastern Missouri through central Iowa into southern Wisconsin on March 3. However, the system saved its knockout punch for areas further south and east. A variety of winter weather watches, warnings, and advisories were in effect on March 4 from southwestern Missouri through Michigan (Figure 8). During the day a very narrow but heavy band of snow fell from southwest of St. Louis, MO to Carlinville, IL (Macoupin County). Up to 12 inches of snow fell at Bridgeton, MO (St. Louis County), and 10 inches fell at Lambert St. Louis International Airport (Figure 9, NWS). This was a new daily record for St. Louis, burying the previous record of 3.7 inches set in 1965. Of the 10 inches of snow, 4.7 inches fell in just two hours. This also tied for the third heaviest March snowfall in St. Louis history.

The winter weather continued on northeastward later on March 4 and on March 5. Heavy snow fell across northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and southern Michigan. A band of 5 to 7 inches of snow fell from Cass County, IN to Hillsdale County, MI. South of the heavy snow area, sleet and freezing rain limited snow accumulation in Ohio. However, the ice accumulation was significant, and freezing rain brought down trees and power lines. In Ashtabula, OH (Ashtabula County) tree and power line damage was extensive and power was out for several days in many areas (Figure 10).
 

Heavy Snow Buries Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky

The southern Midwest had a one-day break before having to brace for the next winter storm. On March 7 a deep upper level trough of low pressure covered most of the country east of the Rockies (Figure 11). On the surface, a low was spinning up on the Gulf coast (Figure 12), funneling moisture northward into the cold air over the Midwest. As this low lifted northeastward into the Appalachians over the next 24 hours (Figure 13), it produced heavy snow in the Ohio Valley from southwestern Indiana through southern Ohio and northern Kentucky, generally along the Ohio River. Eight to 12 inches fell from Louisville, KY to Cincinnati, OH (Hamilton County). The snow was heaviest in southern Ohio, with 12 to more than 14 inches from Cincinnati to Columbus, OH (Figure 14). In Columbus, a record 20.5 inches of snow fell during the storm, breaking the old record of 15.3 inches set on February 17-18, 1910. Columbus also set a record for the all-time greatest 24-hour snowfall with 15.5 inches, breaking the old record of 12.3 inches on April 4, 1987. The storm paralyzed surface and air travel. Ninety percent of the flights at the Columbus OH airport were canceled on March 8 because of the storm. Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland closed on March 8, reopening on March 9. Many churches in the Columbus area cancelled services on March 9 because of the extremely hazardous road conditions. There were two traffic fatalities attributed to the storm in Ohio, and four men died while shoveling snow.

Date	Location	Record Type	New Record	Old Record & Year
March 8	Cincinnati, OH	Daily Snowfall	3.7"	3.3"/1995
March 8	Columbus, OH	Daily Snowfall	15.5"	5.5"/1984
	Dayton, OH	Daily Snowfall	10.3"	4.4"/1984
March 7 & 8	Columbus, OH	Storm Total Snowfall	20.5"	15.3"/17-18 Feb 1910
	Columbus, OH	24-hour Snowfall	15.5"	12.3"/4 Apr 1987

SDH/MCP