Climate of 2003 - March in Historical Perspective

National Climatic Data Center
15 April 2003

Global Highlights:

• Global average combined land and sea surface temperature was the fifth warmest for March 2003
• Temperatures were much above average across most of the U.S., Scandinavia and Europe with below average temperatures in the northern Great Plains of the U.S., across most of Canada, and eastern Australia
• Precipitation during March was above average across the Pacific Northwest and southeastern U.S., Thailand and Malaysia, with drier than average conditions over most of Australia, the Mississippi Valley of the U.S. and Europe

Contents of this Section:

• Introduction
• Global Temperatures
• Global Precipitation
• Microwave Sounding Unit Data

Introduction

The March 2003 mean temperature was above the 1988-2002 average across the southeastern U.S., Europe, eastern Russia and Scandinavia as shown in the adjacent map of blended satellite and in situ data. Cooler than average temperatures occurred over the Middle East, the Northern Great Plains of the U.S., across Canada and eastern Australia. The mean position of upper level ridges and troughs of low pressure (depicted by positive and negative 500 millibar height anomalies) are generally reflected by areas of positive and negative temperature anomalies at the surface, respectively.

larger image

larger image

March temperature anomalies calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period also show above average temperatures throughout Europe, much of Asia, the western United States and eastern Russia. Monthly temperatures were 3-6°C (5.4-10.8°F) above the mean. Cooler than average temperatures were present throughout Canada, Mongolia, eastern Australia and the eastern Mediterranean region where monthly temperatures were as much as 3-5°C (5.4-9°F) below average.

Temperature

March For March 2003, the global average land and ocean surface temperature was 0.57°C (1.03°F) above the 1880-2002 average, ranking as the fifth warmest March in the period of record The warmest March occurred in 2002, when the global anomaly was +0.80°C (+1.44°F) Globally averaged land temperatures were eighth warmest on record, 0.89°C (1.60°F) above the long-term mean

larger image

March 2003 temperatures averaged across the Northern Hemisphere were eighth warmest on record, 0.61°C (1.10°F) above the long term mean Temperatures averaged throughout the Southern Hemisphere were fourth warmest, 0.49°C (0.88°F) above average

larger image

Serial monthly global surface temperature departures with respect to a 1971-2000 mean are shown in the figure to the right. Globally averaged surface temperatures (land and ocean) have been warmer than the 1971-2000 average for the last 83 consecutive months.

larger image

Precipitation

During March 2003, much above average precipitation fell across the southeastern U.S., Thailand, Malaysia and portions of Brazil Below average precipitation was observed in the Mississippi Valley of the U.S., most of Australia and Europe Additional regional analysis can be found on the Global Hazards page

larger image

Microwave Sounding Unit Data

larger image

Temperatures in the lowest 8km (5 miles) of the troposphere were 0.10°C (0.18°F) above the 1979-1998 average during March 2003, the eighth warmest March in the satellite period of record (1979 to present) Temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere were ninth warmest on record for March, 0.09°C (0.16°F) above the mean Temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere were eighth warmest on record for March, 0.12°C (0.22°F) above the mean

larger image

March 2003 temperatures were below the 1984-1990 average in the lower stratosphere, or 0.24°C (0.43°F) cooler than the mean This was the tenth consecutive March with below average temperatures in the lower stratosphere

  For additional details on precipitation and temperatures in March, see the Global Hazards page .

References:

Peterson, T.C. and R.S. Vose, 1997: An Overview of the Global Historical Climatology Network Database. Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 78, 2837-2849.

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

Climate Services Division
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue, Room 120
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov

For questions about this report, please contact:

David Easterling
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: David.Easterling@noaa.gov

-or-

Jay Lawrimore
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov

Top of Page

NCDC / Climate Monitoring / Climate of 2003 / March / Global / Search / Help