Eastern Cornbelt:
Strong thunderstorms pushed through northern Illinois early in the week, generating strong winds and heavy rain across multiple counties.
Calmer weather prevailed for the balance of the week, though forecasts once again warned of potentially strong thunderstorms and steady rain over the Easter weekend in Illinois and Indiana, with temperatures topping out in the 60s in both states. Widespread rains were also on tap for northern Ohio by the coming weekend.
High winds and spotty thunderstorms were reported in Michigan during the week, while parts of the Upper Peninsula were under a winter storm warning, with forecasts warning of up to a foot of snow in some locations at midweek.
Western Cornbelt:
Temperatures across Iowa rose from the 40s to the 60s as the week progressed, but another round of thunderstorms was expected by the weekend. Most areas weren’t expecting heavy rainfall from the weekend storms, however. High winds and rain were also in the forecast for northern Missouri, but not until early next week.
Central Nebraska was hit with snowfall and high winds at midweek, with 1-4 inches of accumulation reported across the region on March 26. A stronger system was taking aim at western Nebraska late in the week, with 5-8 inches of snow possible as a winter storm moves in from Wyoming.
Northern Plains:
Up to a foot of snow fell in northern Minnesota over the prior weekend, with steady rainfall reported in southern areas of the state. Much cold weather followed the precipitation, with lows falling to the teens and single digits across the state.
Another system was expected to bring several inches of snow to northern Minnesota and North Dakota again over the Easter weekend, along with a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain in southern areas of both states. Highs in the 50s were expected by the first days of April in Minnesota and North Dakota, with South Dakota looking at temperatures in the 60s.
Northeast:
The previous weekend brought heavy rain and snow to New England, dimming hopes of an early start to spring fieldwork in the region.
Rainfall totals ranged from 2-3 inches as the powerful system worked its way through the region on March 23-25, with forecasts warning of a foot or more of snow in northern New England. Heavy rain and strong winds also battered parts of Pennsylvania and New York, while showers and cloudy conditions lingered in Maryland for most of the following week.
Providence, R.I., is set to post its second rainiest March on record. The city had notched 9.75 inches before the latest round of moisture, well above the monthly average of 4.9 inches and trailing only March 2010, when 16.34 inches fell and caused widespread flooding.
Eastern Canada:
The Maritimes and parts of Quebec were bracing for a wet Easter weekend, with forecasts warning of 60 mm of rain in Nova Scotia and 70 mm in parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Rainfall totals across New Brunswick were expected to range from 30-90 mm, while eastern Quebec was preparing for 30-50 mm of rain and possible snow at higher elevations.