March 2009 Climate Summary April 23, 2009
A late-month blizzard kicked all other March weather stories to the curb with northwestern Oklahoma seeing more than 2 feet of snow and drifts taller than the average adult. The storm - which provided the state with snow, sleet, freezing rain, and severe thunderstorms - struck on the 27th and 28th. Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Norman and Amarillo indicate the state's 24-hour snowfall record might have been bested in several locations. The previous record was 23 inches from the Buffalo blizzard of February 1971. The totals indicate the spring snowstorm rivals the worst in state history. Before that late storm system, the month was on its way to being exceedingly warm and dry. Despite the moisture and cold air, however, the month still finished as the 32nd warmest and 58th driest on record. That continues a pattern seen during the previous couple months of 2009, and the first three months of the year now rank as the 19th warmest such period since 1895, and the 33rd driest. Severe weather consisted of standard spring fare - large hail and strong winds. One tornado touched down during the month, a weak EF-0 twister which struck near Pawnee early on the 24th.

Full monthly summary available online at:
http://climate.mesonet.org/monthly_summary.html
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