Climate Statistics for the Vernal Equinox

The official and long-awaited start to (astronomical) Spring is set for 621 pm CDT on Sunday. Here is a look at what an "average" start to Spring might bring, as well as the more extreme conditions experienced over the period of record.

**Climatological Normals for the First Day of Spring (March 20)**
	30-year Normals			Period of Record Normals for 1st Day of Spring
Location	Maximum	Minimum	Precipitation	Maximum	Minimum	Precipitation
Sioux Falls, SD	46	23	0.07	45	24	0.03
Huron, SD	45	24	0.06	43	23	0.02
Sioux City, IA	49	27	0.07	48	26	0.04

Sioux Falls

Coldest Minimum Temp.					Warmest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1951	3/21	26	-11	0	1910	3/21	83	40	0
1965	3/20	18	-2	T	1907	3/21	75	40	0
1899	3/20	14	-1	0.03	1911	3/21	75	39	0
1913	3/20	22	0	T	1939	3/21	74	40	0
1974	3/20	27	5	0.16	1990	3/20	68	32	0
1986	3/20	28	5	T	1916	3/20	65	30	0
1893	3/20	42	6	0	1935	3/21	65	33	0
1960	3/20	30	6	0	1938	3/21	65	49	0
1927	3/21	37	7	0	1953	3/20	65	41	0.03
1955	3/21	24	7	0.02	1987	3/20	63	45	0.13
1957	3/20	45	7	0
2002	3/20	36	7	T

Warmest Minimum Temp.					Coldest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1938	3/21	65	49	0	1899	3/20	14	-1	0.03
1987	3/20	63	45	0.13	1965	3/20	18	-2	T
1918	3/21	60	41	0	1913	3/20	22	0	T
1953	3/20	65	41	0.03	1955	3/21	24	7	0.02
1910	3/21	83	40	0	1933	3/20	25	8	0
1907	3/21	75	40	0	1951	3/21	26	-11	0
1939	3/21	74	40	0	1932	3/20	27	20	0.60
1991	3/20	61	40	0.19	1974	3/20	27	5	0.16
1911	3/21	75	39	0	1983	3/20	28	20	T
1972	3/20	54	39	0.07	1986	3/20	28	5	T

Wettest					Snowiest
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Snowfall
1923	3/21	46	26	0.77	1923	3/21	46	26	6.5
1932	3/20	27	20	0.60	1932	3/20	27	20	5.0
1921	3/20	60	33	0.54	1974	3/20	27	5	1.9
1912	3/20	32	12	0.23	1950	3/20	33	25	1.1
1991	3/20	61	40	0.19	1964	3/20	32	12	1.1
1974	3/20	27	5	0.16	1977	3/20	32	16	0.8
1964	3/20	32	12	0.16	1940	3/20	34	20	0.5
					1994	3/20	44	31	0.5

Sioux City

Coldest Minimum Temp.					Warmest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1951	3/21	29	-1	0	1910	3/21	85	47	0
1965	3/20	20	4	T	1907	3/21	81	41	0
1892	3/19	26	5	0	1939	3/21	81	41	0
1899	3/20	24	5	T	1911	3/21	72	47	T
1913	3/20	20	6	0.02	1938	3/21	71	47	T
1974	3/20	33	7	0.28	1987	3/20	69	45	0.47
1900	3/20	27	8	0	1988	3/20	69	25	0
1896	3/19	37	11	0	1990	3/20	69	26	0
1914	3/21	26	11	0.01	1997	3/20	69	33	0
1912	3/20	27	11	1.39
1960	3/20	30	11	0

Warmest Minimum Temp.					Coldest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1910	3/21	85	47	0	1913	3/20	20	6	0.02
1911	3/21	72	47	T	1965	3/20	20	4	T
1938	3/21	71	47	T	1955	3/21	23	12	0.04
1972	3/20	67	47	0.05	1899	3/20	24	5	T
1987	3/20	69	45	0.47	1933	3/20	25	12	T
1894	3/20	49	43	0.04	1892	3/19	26	5	0
1953	3/20	64	42	T	1914	3/21	26	11	0.01
1991	3/20	63	42	0.18	1900	3/20	27	8	0
1907	3/21	81	41	0	1912	3/20	27	11	1.39
1939	3/21	81	41	0	1932	3/20	28	22	0.25


Wettest					Snowiest		(SINCE 1948)
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Snowfall
1912	3/20	27	11	1.39	2006	3/20	35	28	7.5
2006	3/20	35	28	0.62	1974	3/20	33	7	3.7
1987	3/20	69	45	0.47	1964	3/20	33	13	3.4
1964	3/20	33	13	0.36	1961	3/20	38	33	0.5
1974	3/20	33	7	0.28	1955	3/21	23	12	0.4
1932	3/20	28	22	0.25	1969	3/20	34	22	0.4
2003	3/20	49	35	0.24	1983	3/20	32	24	0.3
1991	3/20	63	42	0.18

Huron

Coldest Minimum Temp.					Warmest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1965	3/20	21	-5	T	1907	3/21	84	40	0
1951	3/21	28	-4	0	1910	3/21	83	45	0
1892	3/19	19	-3	0	1939	3/21	76	30	0
1913	3/20	11	-2	0.04	1990	3/20	69	31	0.01
1899	3/20	12	0	0.03	1911	3/21	67	35	0
1900	3/20	28	2	0	2009	3/20	66	32	T
1912	3/20	13	3	0.21	1953	3/20	66	40	0
1943	3/21	39	3	0	1916	3/20	63	34	0
1960	3/20	26	4	0	1929	3/20	63	28	0
2002	3/20	23	4	T	1946	3/20	63	37	0
					1987	3/20	63	44	0.02

Warmest Minimum Temp.					Coldest Maximum Temp.
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip
1910	3/21	83	45	0	1913	3/20	11	-2	0.04
1926	3/21	62	45	0	1899	3/20	12	0	0.03
1938	3/21	59	45	0	1912	3/20	13	3	0.21
1987	3/20	63	44	0.02	1892	3/19	19	-3	0
1991	3/20	48	43	0.14	1965	3/20	21	-5	T
1907	3/21	84	40	0	1955	3/21	23	7	T
1953	3/20	66	40	0	2002	3/20	23	4	T
1894	3/20	44	38	0.10	1989	3/20	24	5	T
1946	3/20	63	37	0	1932	3/20	25	23	0.03
1972	3/20	42	36	0.48	1914	3/21	26	7	T
					1960	3/20	26	4	0

Wettest					Snowiest
Year	Date	Max	Min	Precip	Year	Date	Max	Min	Snowfall
1972	3/20	42	36	0.48	1982	3/20	31	26	4.3
1887	3/20	31	20	0.29	1977	3/20	33	13	2.4
1882	3/20	42	10	0.26	1912	3/20	13	3	1.5
1912	3/20	13	3	0.21	1940	3/20	27	14	1.2
1977	3/20	33	13	0.17	1932	3/20	25	23	0.7
1991	3/20	48	43	0.14	1964	3/20	30	5	0.6
1982	3/20	31	26	0.13	1913	3/20	11	-2	0.5
1994	3/20	54	29	0.11	1924	3/20	36	28	0.5
1894	3/20	44	38	0.10	1950	3/20	31	25	0.5

Return to News Archive

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Climate Statistics for the Vernal Equinox