March, a month known for putting all of its meteorological wares on display, certainly lived up to its reputation across the U.S. Tuesday. While one storm—responsible for a record-breaking 18” of snow over northern Nebraska and a swarm of twisters in its warm southern flank from Arkansas to Florida churned east—a new Pacific storm raced ashore. It prompted winter weather warnings across the mountains of 12 Western states. Snowfall on Utah’s hardest hit slopes through Wednesday was predicted to hit 1-2 feet, with 3 ft. tallies not out of the question.
Though the latest western storm produced only modest rainfall in Los Angeles proper Tuesday—much heavier amounts fell in the surrounding mountains—it was enough to push the area’s precipitation since last July to 34.85”. The wettest since 38.18” fell during the same period in 1889-90.
-Tom Skilling
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
