BELHYDROMET

March is a transitional month from winter to spring. The beginning of the climatic spring is considered to be the transition of the average daily air temperature through 0°С upward, which occurs in the southwestern part of Belarus on average March 9-15, in the central part of the republic - March 16-20, in the North-East of the country - March 21-23. The average monthly air temperature in March (climatic norm) varies from -1.4°С in the North-East to + 2.2°С in the South-West of the republic, and its values are 4-5 ° C higher than in February. Depending on the nature of atmospheric processes, the temperature can differ significantly from the long-term average values. So, it was 3-4°C warmer than usual in March 1989, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019.  March 2007 turned out to be exceptionally warm with an average monthly temperature of + 5°С above the climatic norm, the temperature in March 2014 was only 0.1°С lower than the temperature in March 2007. It was colder than usual in March 1963, 1964, 1969, 1980 and 1987, when the average monthly temperature was 5-6°C below the climatic norm. The coldest March was observed in 1952, when the average monthly air temperature was 9.2°C below the long-term average. The prevailing daytime air temperature in March changes from + 2.3°С in the East to + 6.3°С in the South-West. The absolute maximum temperature (+23.1°С) was recorded in Lelchitsy on March 19, 1990. The air temperature at night on average ranges from -1.2°С in the South-West to -5°С in the North and North-East, the absolute minimum air temperature (-38°С) was recorded in Zhlobin on March 8, 1964.

On average, precipitation falls from 31 mm to 51 mm per month (climatic norm). Rainfall can vary from year to year from 1-11 mm to 66-189 mm. In March, on average there are 13-20 days with precipitation.

In March, as a rule, the stable snow cover is destroyed. This occurs in the South-Western part of the republic, usually in the first decade of March, in the central part - in the second decade, in the North and North-East of the country, the average date of destruction of the snow cover falls on the third decade of the month. There has been no stable snow cover since 2000 in March 2002, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017.

In March, on average, there are 4-7 days with fogs, in some years 9-16 days, 1-2 days with ice, 1-3 days with frost and 2-5 days with snowstorms. In some years in March there are 1-3 days with thunderstorms.

The average monthly air temperature is expected to be 1°C higher than the climatic norm (climatic norm -1°C, +2°C).

The monthly amount of precipitation is assumed to be within the long-term average values (climatic norm 31-51 mm).