On Monday, March 9, Omaha hit 78 degrees. We were one degree shy of a record high, set back in 1986.
On Wednesday morning, March 11, Omaha woke up to 1" of snow that melted before noon.
It's weeks that are headaches to plan events, choose outfits, and work outside. March is known for some of the wildest weather the Heartland can see. For example, March contains some of the biggest snow events in Omaha's history (see: Winter 1911-1912), and the biggest tornado outbreak in Omaha's history too (see: Easter Sunday 1913 Tornado Outbreak). Along with everything in between, the cliche "if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes" has never been more apt.
So, what’s driving all this? For the answer, we need to look about thirty thousand feet in the air at the jet stream. This fast belt of air is the dividing line between warm and cold air. The jet stream is always in flux, bending up and down over the United States, pulling warm air from the south and cold air from the north.
Why march? It’s the time of year when the air masses are most extreme. The higher sun heats the ground better, and Canada is still full of arctic air. These clashes are greater because the temperature contrasts are greater.
