CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - This March was 21.2 degrees colder than the average statewide temperature in March of last year, according to Jim Angel, State Climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, part of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The statewide temperature for March was 34.1 degrees, which is 7 degrees below the long-term average of 41.1 degrees and the 11th coldest March on record. In contrast, March 2012 was 55.3 degrees, and the warmest March on record.

The statewide precipitation was 2.85 inches, which is 0.15 inches below the long-term average of 3 inches. Precipitation amounts were the highest just east of St. Louis and lowest in east-central Illinois. The largest monthly total came from Kaskaskia with 6.42 inches of precipitation. Several surrounding sites had an excess of 5 inches of precipitation.

Snowfall was above average for the month thanks mostly to a large storm that passed through central Illinois on March 24-25 and some earlier events that passed through northern and western Illinois. Springfield received 17 inches of snow in 24 hours, a new record for that site.