March was a chilly one in Sisters

According to preliminary data received by NOAA’s National Weather Service in Pendleton, temperatures in Sisters averaged colder than normal during March.

The average temperature was 35.6 degrees which was 4 degrees below normal. High temperatures averaged 47.6 degrees, which was 4.1 degrees below normal. The highest was 65 degrees on March 6. Low temperatures averaged 23.5 degrees, which was 3.9 degrees below normal. The lowest was 10 degrees, on March 18.

There were 24 days with the low temperature below 32 degrees. There were three days when the high temperature stayed below 32 degrees.

Precipitation totaled 1.35 inches during March, which was 0.37 inches above normal. Measurable precipitation — at least .01 inch — was received on nine days with the heaviest, 0.47 inches on March 31.

Precipitation this year has reached 3.69 inches, which is 0.49 inches below normal. Since October, the water year precipitation at Sisters has been 7.40 inches, which is 1.66 inches below normal.

Snowfall totaled 9.4 inches with at least one inch of snow reported on three days. The heaviest snowfall was 5.8 inches reported on March 15.

The outlook for April from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center calls for below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation. Normal highs for Sisters rise from 55 degrees at the start of April to 62 degrees at the end. Normal lows rise from 29 degrees to 32 degrees. The 30-year normal precipitation is 0.95 inches.