A severe weather outbreak in mid-March left a trail of destruction across multiple states from Texas to Tennessee, leading to several fatalities and extensive damage. Two powerful EF-4 tornadoes struck Arkansas on the same day, highlighting the intensity of the storms that swept through the region.
In addition to tornadoes, wildfires wreaked havoc across parts of southern Appalachia, burning more than 30,000 acres. Strong winds and dry conditions fueled the flames, which were worsened by the presence of downed trees resulting from Hurricane Helene.
March 2023 marked the sixth-warmest March on record for the contiguous United States, with average temperatures significantly above normal. The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. in March was recorded at 46.9°F, which is 5.4°F above the long-term average. Most of the Lower 48 states experienced temperatures ranging from above average to well above average, with notable exceptions in parts of California and the Southeast.
Kansas experienced its fourth-warmest March on record, joining Texas and Nebraska, which noted their fifth warmest. Meanwhile, Alaska’s statewide March temperature was 16.7°F, 5.9°F above its historical average, positioning it among the warmest third of recorded temperatures over the past 101 years. Particularly, the areas of Southcentral Alaska and the North Slope reported much-above-average temperatures during the month.
Hawai’i also exhibited above-average temperatures, with an average of 64.8°F, marking a rise of 1.3°F from the 1991–2020 average. Kaua’i recorded its warmest March on record within the 1991–2025 timeline.
Looking at the broader picture, the average temperature from January to March for the contiguous U.S. stood at 37.0°F, which is 1.8°F above average, ranking in the warmest third for this period. For Alaska, the average temperature during the same period was 14.5°F, 8.6°F above average, marking it as the fourth warmest January–March on record.
Meanwhile, Hawai’i noted its third-warmest January-March average temperature, which tied with the 2004 figures, at 64.5°F, slightly above the 1991–2020 average.
Precipitation data for March indicates that the contiguous U.S. received an average of 2.38 inches, which is 0.13 inches below the average, positioning precipitation levels in the middle third of the historical record. Specific regions, particularly parts of the northern and southern Plains, the central Rockies, and the middle Mississippi Valley, experienced below-average precipitation, while the western regions overall saw near- to above-average levels.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley and upper Mississippi Valley, along with parts of the Great Lakes, recorded areas of much-above-average precipitation. Notably, West Virginia experienced its fifth-driest March, while Michigan and Wisconsin had their second- and fifth-wettest Marches on record, respectively.
In Alaska, the average monthly precipitation for March fell in the driest third of its historical record. Conversely, Hawai’i averaged 4.23 inches of precipitation, which is 2.62 inches below its average and placed it in the middle third for the 1991–2025 record.
From January to March, the contiguous U.S. recorded total precipitation of 5.92 inches, which is 1.04 inches below average, aligning it within the driest third for this timeframe. In contrast, Alaska had a January-March precipitation total of 7.84 inches, only 0.55 inch below average and ranking in the wettest third on record for that period. Hawai’i also reported total precipitation from January to March at 11.54 inches, which is 5.52 inches below average and situated in the middle third of its record.
According to the April 1 U.S. Drought Monitor report, roughly 43.4% of the contiguous U.S. was experiencing drought conditions, a slight decrease of about 1.0% from the beginning of March. Drought conditions intensified or expanded in areas of the Southwest and the southern and central Plains, while improvements were noted in parts of the northern Rockies, Great Lakes, and portions of the middle and northern Atlantic coast.
Looking ahead, the monthly outlook suggests that above-average temperatures are anticipated across the Southwest, extending through the Gulf Coast and Southeast. The forecast indicates drier-than-average conditions in the Southwest and Florida Peninsula, while above-average rainfall is likely from the south-central Plains to the Ohio Valley.
Drought conditions appear set to persist across much of the Southwest, northern Plains, and parts of the central and southern Plains. However, some improvement is expected for the Great Lakes region and along the northern Atlantic coast, as significant wildland fire potential remains elevated in areas of the Southwest and through various other regions of the country. For further details, citizens can refer to the Climate Prediction Center’s Official 30-Day Forecasts and U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook.
image source from：https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202503
