Last month was the driest March in 56 years.
Less than one quarter of the normal amount of precipitation fell at the West Kootenay Regional Airport weather station last month.
The area also saw about 50 per cent more dry days than usual, with only nine days of measurable precipitation.
Southeast Fire Centre weather forecaster Jesse Ellis said, “One factor that contributed to drier than average weather was that many of the Pacific frontal systems that pushed inland over southern BC were driving into (or through) a ridge of high pressure.
“Some of the energy that could have gone towards uplift and precipitation would have been ‘absorbed’ by the area of high pressure in place over the area.”
The month was almost snow free with a brief period on March 24 being the only time snow was recorded — and that was non-accumulating wet snow mixed with cold rain.
The average monthly temperature was 0.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
The warmest day was March 27 at 16.2 C.
The coldest day was March 12 at -5.1 C.
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