Records:
Highs:
EWR: 75 (2021)
NYC: 73 (1977)
LGA: 70 (1977)
JFK: 68 (2016)
Lows:
EWR: 14 (1960)
NYC: 14 (1960)
LGA: 15 (1960)
JFK: 15 (1960)
Historical:
1888: The Great Blizzard of 1888 paralyzed the east coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine on March 11 through the 14th. The blizzard dumped as much as 55 inches of snow in some areas, and snowdrifts of 30 to 40 feet were reported. An estimated 400 people died from this blizzard. Click HERE for more information from History.com.
1888: Heavy rain that began early in the day in Washingon, DC & changed to snow about 3 P.M. by midnight wind and heavy snow took down electric wire and blacked out the city. By the following morning snow depths varied from a few inches in the city to over ten inches to the north and NW. Winds to 34 to 48 mph and a minimum temperature of 18°F and a maximum of 30 °F. (P. 49 Washington Weather Book 2002 by Ambrose, Henry, Weiss)
Rain began falling during the afternoon in New York City. By evening, it turned to freezing rain, coating the city in ice. Shortly after midnight on the 12th, it changed over to snow and the Blizzard of '88 began. Three feet of snow fell on southeast New York by the evening of the 13th with 50mph winds creating drifts to the second story of buildings in New York City. 21 inches accumulated in the city. Albany, NY received 47 inches of snow and Saratoga, NY 58 inches. At sea, the storm was referred to as the Great White Hurricane. 400 people died from the storm and the ensuing cold. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1911 - Tamarack, CA, reported 451 inches of snow on the ground, a record for the U.S. (David Ludlum)
1917: At 3:02 pm on Sunday, March 11, 1917, many New Castle lives were changed forever. In just a few terrifying minutes, 22 people were killed, hundreds were injured, 500 homes were damaged or destroyed, and many of the city's triumphant greenhouses were leveled in what would be part of $1 million suffered in property damage.
1935: Suffocating dust storms occurred frequently in southeast Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and many rural homes were deserted by tenants. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1948 - Record cold followed in the wake of a Kansas blizzard. Lows of -25 degrees at Oberlin, Healy and Quinter established a state record for the month of March. Lows of -15 at Dodge City, -11 at Concordia, and -3 at Wichita were also March records. (The Weather Channel)
1962 - One of the most paralyzing snowstorms in decades produced record March snowfalls in Iowa. Four feet of snow covered the ground at Inwood following the storm. (David Ludlum)
1972: Chicago, Illinois 10th & 11th: Chicago's temperature rises from 15°F on the 10th to 73°F on the 11th. The 58 F deg rise ties the biggest day-to-day rise on record. The city also experienced a similar jump in temperature in February 1887. (Ref. WxDoctor)
1987 - Unseasonably cold weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S., and a storm over the Gulf of Mexico spread rain and sleet and snow into the Appalachian Region. Sleet was reported in southern Mississippi. (The National Weather Summary)
1988 - A blizzard raged across the north central U.S. Chadron NE was buried under 33 inches of snow, up to 25 inches of snow was reported in eastern Wyoming, and totals in the Black Hills of South Dakota ranged up to 69 inches at Lead. Winds gusted to 63 mph at Mullen NE. Snow drifts thirty feet high were reported around Lusk WY. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1989 - Twenty-one cities in the central and southwestern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 95 degrees at Lubbock TX equalled their record for March. (The National Weather Summary)
1990 - Forty-four cities in the central and eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Record highs included 71 degrees at Dickinson ND and Williston ND, and 84 degrees at Lynchburg VA, Charleston WV and Huntington WV. Augusta GA and Columbia SC tied for honors as the hot spot in the nation with record highs of 88 degrees. A vigorous cold front produced up to three feet of snow in the mountains of Utah. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1992: A major winter storm with a central pressure of 978 millibars or 28.88 inches of mercury struck the northeastern U.S. Heavy snow occurred over western Pennsylvania and New York with Bradford, PA recording 23 inches, Rochester, NY 21.9 inches, and Buffalo, NY with 15 inches. On the warm side of the storm in Vermont, heavy rains combined with snowmelt and ice breakup caused massive ice jams on the Winooski River in Montpelier, resulting in severe flooding. The downtown section was under five feet of water with millions of dollars of damage resulting. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
2006 - Phoenix's record run for dry days finally ends at 143 days. The last measured rain fell on October 18, 2005. Not only did the rain break the dry spell, the 1.40 inches that fell was a record amount for the date.
