March 2021 is a March to remember for all of those that endured the great blizzard of 2021. Not only did this epic snow month improve drought concerns, it pushed us over our annual expected amount of snow with our second snowiest month of the year still to come!
While many areas in Colorado saw drought improvement throughout March, is was the northeast corner of the state that benefited the most from the blizzard and the moisture it brought. Denver was in Extreme drought in February and is no sitting in the moderate drought category. A two-category change! Areas like Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins also saw drought improve by two categories in this same time. Almost all areas of the state saw drought improvement over the last month with the exception of the western slope. They are still under Exceptional drought, the worst category of drought issued. So for the state as a whole, we still need some decent Spring moisture to improve our drought conditions before we head into the hot and dry summer months.
March Records
The big story that happened this March was the blizzard on the 13th and 14th that crippled travel and left more than two feet of snow on many areas around the metro area. That snow by and large boosted our snowpack along the Front Range and lessened our drought.
Other than the blizzard that dropped 27.1″ of snow on us, there were a few other minor snows that led us to getting 34.0″ of snow for the entire month of March. This is the second highest snowfall total for the month of March on record in the Denver area. Second only to 2003 which we were SO close to reaching but second place is good enough.
All of that snow melted down to be 3.80″ of liquid precipitation. That is the most “rain” we’ve gotten in one month’s time since July of 2016 and tops out at second on the list for wettest March’s behind 1983! We have been running a deficit in the precipitation department (hence the drought) but now we are in a surplus that will hopefully carry us through the Spring months.
And finally, the snowstorm on March 13-14 landed at number four on the list of biggest snowstorms to ever hit the Mile High City. An impressive feat to say the least since we are sharing the spotlight with record that date back to the early 1900s.
Overall, March was a very impressive month in NE Colorado. The amount of liquid that came with the storms has such huge benefits and the fact that we had a top producing snowstorm during a LaNiña winter is even more impressive.
Our season total for snow in Denver as of April first is 67.6″ of snow. We typically see 56.5″ of snow per season so we have already eclipsed that and April is our second snowiest month of the season so we’re not done yet!
Let’s see what April brings!
~ Andy
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