Eastern Cornbelt:
After steadily warming temperatures during the week, Illinois was bracing for potentially strong storms on March 31. Forecasts warned of 70 mph winds, large hail, and the potential for tornadoes, particularly in the northern areas of the state.
Thunderstorms also moved through the Peoria area on March 30, with highs there expected to reach the upper-60s and possibly the 70s by Friday. Highs in central Indiana reached the 60s late in the week, but an incoming cold front was expected to trigger thunderstorms late in the week, with hail and damaging winds possible.
A mix of rain and snow pushed through northern Ohio at midweek, followed by warmer temperatures on March 30. By Friday, however, another system was expected to produce widespread rains and strong winds in Ohio.
Western Cornbelt:
Temperatures warmed to the high 40s, 50s, and even low 60s in Iowa on March 30, with the highest readings in southern Iowa. Rainfall across Iowa was expected to pick up late on March 30, with severe storms possible on March 31. Forecasts warned of wind, hail, and possible tornado activity by Friday afternoon over a wide swath of the state.
Highs reached the mid-60s and low-70s across Nebraska on March 30, but a cold front on Friday was expected to usher in some thunderstorm activity, along with a 20-degree drop in temperatures. By late on March 31, spotty snow showers were in the forecast for parts of northern Nebraska.
A wind advisory was in effect for northern Missouri on March 30, with potentially strong thunderstorms in the March 31 forecast.
Northern Plains:
Winter storm warnings and watches were in effect for portions of South Dakota and Minnesota late in the week. Forecasts warned of 8-12 inches of snow in northern and central South Dakota as cold air pushed into the region after midweek highs in the 30s. Southern areas of the state were expecting rain and isolated thunderstorms on March 30.
Snowfall was also expected in North Dakota, with most of the accumulation reported south of Interstate-94. Minnesota was bracing for 1-4 inches of fresh snow in northern areas of the state, with freezing rain and ice across southern Minnesota. Highs in the mid-30s were expected in the Twin Cities area on April 1.
Northeast:
A Great Lakes system brought cold temperatures, gusty winds, and a mix of rain and snow to New England late in the week. While snow accumulation was limited to 2-3 inches in the Green Mountains, some areas saw a half-inch or more of rain, with temperatures dropping to the 20s and 30s across the region.
Midweek snow squalls were also reported in Pennsylvania and western New York, with more precipitation expected by the weekend. Temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic region fell from the upper-50s to the 20s and 30s by March 30.
Eastern Canada:
More winter storms swept through Eastern Canada during the final week of March, compounding fieldwork delays and diminishing hopes of any early start to spring planting in the region.
An Arctic cold front brought heavy snow, 70-80 km/h wind gusts, and -10 C wind chills to southern Ontario at midweek. While calmer conditions were expected on March 30, another system was threatening to drop 20-40 cm of rain and snow on southern and eastern areas of the province by the coming weekend.
The prior weekend brought up to 20 cm of snow to southern Quebec, with more expected as the week progressed. The Maritimes were also bracing for a cold front on March 30, with a mix of rain and snow and 40-60 km/h winds. While most areas were expecting five cm or less of snow accumulation, 10-15 cm was possible in northern New Brunswick by the weekend.
“We’ve had wind and rain the last week, and further north some snow,” commented one Ontario source at midweek. “No fieldwork here to speak of; too wet and too cold.”