For the first time since 1975, the first three months in 2023 have all brought below average temperatures to the Tucson area.
March 2023 ended as the 63rd warmest and 42nd wettest on record, the National Weather Service said. It was also the first above normal rainfall the Tucson International Airport has received in March since 2004.
The average temperature this month was 59.1 degrees. The average high was 71.8 degrees, and the average low was 46.3 degrees, the NWS said. Usually at this time of month, the average temperature seen in Tucson is 61.9 degrees.
Similar to March 2023, March 2022 also had below average temperatures. The last time back-to-back Marches had below average temperatures was in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the NWS said.
This March also got off to a snowy start with several places in the Tucson area receiving one to four inches of snow. The airport received one inch of snow on March 2, ranking it as the 7th highest March snow, the NWS said.
As for rain, March typically sees 0.56 inches of rainfall, but in 2023, the average rainfall for this month was 0.66 inches.
Despite the cold start, temperatures started to warm up toward the end of the month as a dry weather system moved through the area. On the 28th, Tucson hit 82 degrees for the first time in 2023, the NWS said. Normally, Tucson hits 82 degrees around February 16th.
Even though things started to warm up, March 2023 still ended with below normal highs, the NWS said. On March 30th, the high was in the mid 60s and on the 31st, the high was in the lower 70s.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, April seems to be following in the past three monthsβ footsteps. The center predicted slightly below normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for the month.
