REMARKS 



The month of March brought welcome reUef from a winter 

 which had provided both prolonged cold and snow cover of above 

 normal. Early in the month however the record March minimum 

 of -14 was established on the 6th, seven degrees colder than the 

 previous record of -7 reached in 1943 and 1906. This coupled 

 with a 69 maximum on the 31st established a record range of 

 temperature of 83 degrees for the normal range is but 57.6 degrees. 

 The tag end of winter also brought 15 inches of snow fall for the 

 month against a normal of 7.47 giving a total for the season to the 

 month's end of 68.0 inches. 



The mean temperature for the month of 34.9 degrees was an 

 even one-half degree above the normal. While comfortable day- 

 time temperatures were reached on most days after the 5th, the 

 morning of the 16th recorded the first overnight period of the 

 season without freezing temperatures and the third night with 

 above-freezing temperatures since last November 12. The degree- 

 days of heating load for the month were 932 against a normal of 

 950 and the season's total of 6128 against a normal of 5932 degree- 

 days. With the normal heating load 86.5% completed by the end 

 of the month, the heating load for this season can be estimated at 

 very little over the normal of 6850 degree days. 



W. H. Thies, Extension Professor of Horticulture, contributes 

 the following report: "One of the most surprising features of the 

 weather during ^larch was the very rapid disappearance of a heavy 

 accunuilation of snow. And, contrary to fears of many people, 

 this was accomplished without serious flood conditions. Two or 

 three warm days coupled with the absence of frost in the soil made 

 it possible for the earth to absorb the melting snow "like a sponge". 

 Very little soil erosion has occurred and wells have been replenished. 



From an agricultural standpoint, the heavy blanket of snow 

 has, in general, been beneficial. The winter precipitation has been 

 permitted to penetrate the earth where it fell instead of flowing into 

 the lowlands as occurs when the soil is deeply frozen. Fall seedings 

 have come through the winter in realtively good condition. Fruit 

 buds, with the exception of peaches which suffered from low 

 temperatures, look promising. Strawberries look unusually good, 

 having been subjected to little or no injury during the winter. 

 Some injury to conifers exposed to drying winds has, however, 

 been noted and there has been some breakage of young fruit trees 

 due to the heavy snow. It is gratifying to see how generally farm- 

 ers are growing winter rye on areas subject to both wind and water 

 erosion. This is a move in the direction of soil conservation." 



