The Alberniweather and Alberni Valley Climate Summary for March 2019
Catching up on this month… this post was actually written January 7 2020 but is back-dated so it makes sense in the grand scheme of things. 🙂
This was quite a remarkable month as we see-sawed from very cold temperatures at the beginning of the month that lasted 10 days, to very warm temperatures just a week later that lasted a week.
In all the Airport set records on 13 of the days of March split between 7 low and 6 high temperatures.
It is worth noting that while this was cold for the Airport since 1994, only one of the records, on March 9, approached within 1º C of an all time for the day. The high records also did not approach within 1º C of an all time record.
However, the average difference between the all time and the records set was interesting. For the lows it was 5.46º C. For the highs it was 3.45ºC.
As could be surmised by the records on both sides, which indicate lots of clear sky, there was very little rain this month. Just 13% and 17% of normal rainfall fell at the Airport and City respectively.
Daily and All Time Records Set
Set at the Airport* since 1994 and compared to other stations** for “All Time” since 1900.
So many records! 7 lows and 6 highs were set at the Airport. None eclipsed daily records for Valley stations.
- March 1 low temp -7.7º C: #1 is -12.2º C at Robertson Creek in 1971.
- March 2 low temp -7.4º C: #1 is -10.6º C at Beaver Creek in 1951.
- March 4 low temp -4.5º C: #1 is -15.0º C at Beaver Creek in 1955.
- March 5 low temp -5.8º C: #1 is -12.2º C at Beaver Creek in 1955.
- March 6 low temp -7.1º C: #1 is -11.7º C at Port Alberni in 1951.
- March 7 low temp -6.6º C: #1 is -8.9º C at Beaver Creek in 1951.
- March 9 low temp -7.4º C: #1 is -8.3º C at Beaver Creek in 1943, Robertson Creek in 1969 and Port Alberni in 1943.
- March 10 low temp -7.2º C: #1 is -13.9º C at Beaver Creek in 1951.
- March 17 high temp 18.2º C: #1 is 23.9º C at Beaver Creek in 1930.
- March 18 high temp 21.4º C: #1 is 22.8º C at Beaver Creek in 1947.
- March 19 high temp 20.8º C: #1 is 23.9º C at Beaver Creek in 1947.
- March 20 high temp 24.0º C: #1 is 25.6º C at Beaver Creek in 1914.
- March 21 high temp 18.4º C: #1 is 22.2º C at Beaver Creek in 1914/1940.
- March 24 high temp 16.0º C: #1 is 21.1º C at Beaver Creek in 1909/1940.
March 2019 City Station Data Comparisons
Mean Min, Mean, and Mean Max Temperature,
Total Precipitation and Highest Wind
- Alberniweather: 0.7º C, 6.2º C, 13.3º C, NA*** , NE 45.1 kph on 21st
- Alberni Elem. : NA*****
- Maquinna.: 1.3º C, 6.2º C, 13.2º C, 38.6 mm, N 23 kph on 27th
- Neptune: 1.2º C, 6.5º C, 14.3º C, NA*** , E/ENE 8 kph on 21st/24th
- Nick’s (Maq area): 1.1º C, 5.8º C, 12.4º C, 30.0 mm, NNE/SSE 25.9 kph on 4th/11th.
***Alberniweather rain gauge faulty. ****Alberni Elementary station offline. *****Nick’s data currently unavailable (not Nicks fault :)).
Monthly City and Airport Compared to Normal
Differences from Normal at Airport (Valley)
- Airport* : -2.0º C, 5.6º C, 13.2° C, 30.3 mm, NNW 19 kph on 22nd.
- Normal 1981-2010 (Rbrstn Creek): 0.7º C, 5.7º C 10.5° C, 233.8 mm
- Diff. from normal: -2.7° C, -0.1º C, +2.7º C, -203.5 mm (13.0%)
Differences from Normal in City (Sea Level)
- City Stations Average: 1.1º C, 6.2º C, 13.3º C, 34.3 mm
- Normal 1971-2000 (Prt Alb A (Somass)): 0.9º C, 5.9º C 10.8° C, 203.9 mm
- Diff. from normal: +0.2° C, +0.3º C, +2.5º C, –169.6 mm, (17.0%)
Official Days of Precipitation at Airport*
Normal Days : Days This Month
>= 0.2 mm: 20.5 : 6
>= 5 mm: 10.4 : 3
>= 10 mm: 7.3 : 1
>= 25 mm: 2.6 : 0
* May have used backup Environment Canada Data source at WeatherStats.ca
**^^ Missing Data from Airport, Alberniweather broke existing Airport record temperature. Temperature at Alberniweather will be different. Usually Alberniweather underestimates temperatures in summer compared to Airport.
** Short Term means since 1995 at the new AVRA Airport. Airport Records are compared to the 30+ year weather stations of record since 1900 (1895 for rain) at Beaver Creek, Port Alberni "City" and Robertson Creek. Note that records pre 1950 may be more likely to over-estimate high temperatures.
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