March weather summary and forecast accuracy

Though it's a little late, here are the climate stats for March 2009, which ended up slightly warmer and wetter than average.

Memphis International Airport
At the official recording station for Memphis, the average temperature was 55.1 degrees, which was 1.6 degrees above normal. The highest temp for the month was 80 degrees on the 9th and the lowest was 24 on the 2nd. Precipitation totaled 6.12", which is a little more than a half-inch above normal. There were 3 days it dropped to or below freezing, which is 2 below average. The airport recorded 0.3" of snow on 3/1 (the tail end of the 2/28/09 snow storm), which concludes the 2008-2009 season at 4.1" (2.5" below average). There was also a trace recorded on both the 11th and 12th as well. (It should be noted that there was 3" of snow on the ground on the morning of 3/1). The peak wind gust was 40 mph on 3/5. Click here for the NWS recap.

WXLIVE! in Bartlett
In Bartlett, WXLIVE! recorded an average temperature was 53.9 degrees, with a max of 81.4 on the 9th and a min of 18.6 degrees on the 2nd. Precipitation totaled 5.27", though some of the recorded precipitation on 3/1 of 0.62" was snow that fell on the 28th and was recorded on the 1st. The peak wind gust was 33 mph on 3/5.

March Accuracy
The MWN Forecast accuracy statistics are finalized as well. For the month of March, the MWN forecast beat out the computer models and the NWS forecast in the temperature and dewpoint categories. Average MWN temperature error for March was 2.73 degrees, followed by the NAM model at 2.78 degrees, the NWS at 2.88 degrees, and the GFS model at 3.18 degrees. Dewpoint error averages were similar, running about one degree higher across the board. Thanks to everyone who counts on "the most accurate public forecast for Memphis" on a daily basis!