When March is Colder Than December

 

 

Typically, the month of December is four degrees colder than March, but since 1900 March has been colder once every five years (in the years 1869-1899 it was once every three years).  The last time it happened (through 2021) was in 2014 and 2015.  In 2014 March, the coldest, in in 30 years was three degrees colder than December, while 2015 had the most extreme difference as March was 12.7 degrees colder than December as Dec. 2015 was the mildest on record.  Here are some other tidbits ...

 

• Of the 34 years in which March has been colder than December, both months had below average temperatures in five of them.  The last time this happened was in 1916.  And in 1982 and 2006, despite March being colder than December, both months were milder than average.

• The most consecutive years in which December was colder than March is fourteen, from 1942 thru 1955.  The most years in a row in which March was colder than December is three - 1887 thru 1889.   
  

• In 1870 and 2018 March and December had the same average temperatures.

• Interestingly, one of the coldest Marches on record, in 1960, wasn't colder than that year's December, which was also much below average.

 

LAST 10 YEARS WHEN MARCH
WAS COLDER THAN DECEMBER
	Mean Temp		Difference
	March	Dec.	March v Dec.
Average*	42.4	38.2	+4.2
2015	38.1	50.8	-12.7
2014	37.7	40.5	-2.8
2011	42.3	43.3	-1.0
2006	43.1	43.6	-0.5
2001	39.6	44.1	-4.5
1996	38.9	41.3	-2.4
1994	40.7	42.2	-1.5
1984	36.7	43.8	-7.1
1982	42.0	42.8	-0.8
1971	40.1	40.8	-0.7
*1980-2019
GREATEST TEMP DIFFERENCE
(MARCH vs. DECEMBER)
	Mean Temp		Difference
	March	Dec.	March v Dec.
2015	38.1	50.8	-12.7
1984	36.7	43.8	-7.1
1891	35.8	42.3	-6.5
1923	36.8	42.0	-5.2
1885	30.6	35.7	-5.1
1911	34.7	39.4	-4.7
1888	30.0	34.7	-4.7
2001	39.6	44.1	-4.5