Warmest Spring (Mar - May) on Record for the Missouri Ozarks - and also Nationally

Here are some top 10 highest average temperatures for the months of Mar - May at 4 stations in the Missouri Ozarks.

 Springfield
Rank
Avg. Temperature
Year
1
62.5
2012
2
60.4
1963
3
60.0
2007
4
59.4
1977
5
59.0
2006
6
58.9
1938
7
58.7
1985, 1946, 1987
10
58.4
1991

 

Joplin
Rank
Avg. Temperature
Year
1
64.4
2012
2
61.6
1946
3
61.4
2006
4
60.8
1987, 2007
6
60.7
1991, 1908
8
60.6
2004
9
60.5
1977, 1986

 

 West Plains
Rank
Avg. Temperature
Year
1
63.3
2012
2
60.4
1977
3
59.3
1987
4
58.5
1967
5
58.3
1955
6
58.0
1974, 1986, 2010
9
57.9
1963, 1991

 

 Vichy-Rolla
Rank
Avg. Temperature
Year
1
62.4
2012
2
60.3
1977
3
59.6
1991
4
57.8
2007
5
57.6
1963
6
57.4
1955
7
57.3
2010
8
57.1
1974
9
56.9
2006
10
56.8
1967

 

According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during May was 64.3°F, 3.3°F above the long-term average, making it the second warmest May on record. The month's high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895.
The spring season's (March-May) nationally averaged temperature was 57.1°F, 5.2°F above the 1901-2000 long-term average, surpassing the previous warmest spring (1910) by 2.0°F.

U.S. climate highlights - spring (March-May)
  • The nationally averaged temperature of 57.1°F during spring was 5.2°F above the long-term average. With warmest March, third warmest April and second warmest May, spring 2012 marked the largest temperature departure from average of any season on record for the contiguous United States. 
  • Spring was drier-than-average for the contiguous U.S. as a whole, with a national precipitation total of 7.47 inches, 0.24 inch below average.
  • Record and near-record warmth dominated the eastern two-thirds of the nation during spring. Thirty-one states were record warm for the season and 11 additional states had spring temperatures ranking among their ten warmest. Only Oregon and Washington had spring temperatures near normal.
  • Wetter-than-average conditions prevailed from the West Coast through the Northern Plains and into the Upper Midwest. Oregon was record wet and Minnesota and Washington were third wettest. The Intermountain West, Ohio Valley, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic were drier than average. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Indiana, and Delaware had a top ten dry spring.
  • The U.S. Climate Extremes Index (USCEI), an index that tracks the highest and lowest 10 percent of extremes in temperature, precipitation, drought and tropical cyclones across the contiguous U.S., was a record-large 44 percent during the March-May period, over twice the average value. Extremes in warm daytime temperatures (81 percent) and warm nighttime temperatures (72 percent) covered large areas of the nation, contributing to the record high value.
Here is a map of Missouri and an outline of our forecast area with the Average Temperature Departure from Normal for the Spring months.

 

 

 

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