March 2007 Seared into the Records
Several temperature records were set in March at the Rapid City Regional Airport, including:
Warmest March: The average temperature of 44.3 degrees was 9.4 degrees above normal and exceeded the previous record of 43.0 degrees from 1986.
March record high: The high temperature of 83 degrees on March 20 broke the all-time March record high of 82 degrees most recently reached just 8 days earlier on March 12.
Temperatures reached 80 degrees twice, tying the most 80 degree days in March set in 1946 and 1993.
Four daily record high temperatures:
March 8: 68 degrees tied the record set in 1977
March 12: 82 degrees; previous record was 68 set in 1979
March 18: 76 degrees; previous record was 75 set in 1972
March 20: 83 degrees; previous record was 81 set in 1997
The month was also dry. Only 0.49 inch precipitation was measured at the airport, which was 0.54 inches below normal.
The National Weather Service office in east Rapid City had an average temperature of 44.1 for the month, which was 8.3 degrees above normal. It was the second warmest March, behind 48.9 degrees in March 1910.
Daily highs included 79 degrees on the 12th (previous record of 71 in 1933), 79 degrees on the 20th (previous record of 78 in 1997), and 75 degrees on the 25th (previous record 74 in 1998).
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