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Health & Fitness

Late Winter Rains Helpful, but 'April Showers' Needed

Weather Window: March 2012 Extremes for La Mesa

 

Several low-pressure systems brought badly needed precipitation to southern California in March, elevating La Mesa's tally to an even 7 inches. However, the city remains behind expectation due to an unusually dry winter.

No fooling! Another 0.11 inches was already received in the early-morning hours of April 1st, but long-range forecast models indicate dry air over the region through at least Easter weekend.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Temperature-wise, the past month started notably warmer than the climatic average, but plateaued midway to within normal expectations. After such a mild winter (even for La Mesa), if you're like me your youngling summer-harvest tomato plants are in the ground stretching skyward and your fruit trees are either blossoming wildly or already bearing small produce.

Our winter of 2012 will go into the books nationally as one of the most unremarkable on record. The continued migration of dryer, cooler air masses pushing east combining with warm, wet circulations from the gulf will inevitably create an unfortunately significant outbreak of severe and tornadic weather in the Midwest and east of the plains over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Only this afternoon I learned that the National Weather Service has updated its public-address descriptions, including alerts of "unsurvivable conditions". As we bask in springtime sunshine and gentle winds, let's give a kind and caring thought to family and friends enduring elsewhere.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

RECORDED EXTREME VARIABLES FOR MARCH 2012

VARIABLE

HIGH

LOW

Temperature (°F)

85.0 (04-Mar)

41.0 (08-Mar)

Average Temperature for February (°F)

68.7

46.8

Humidity (%)

97 (17-Mar)

8 (02-Mar)

Pressure (in. Hg)

30.214 (02-Mar)

29.701 (18-Mar)

Monthly Precipitation (in.)

2.20

YTD Precipitation (in.) since 01-Jul-11

7.00

Monthly Evapotranspiration (in.)

4.169

High Wind Gust (mph and direction)

36 West (18-Mar)

High Solar Radiation (W/m2)

1325 (19-Mar)

High UV Index

11.2 (30-Mar)

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