Contact: Rudy Bartels (rbarte1@lsu.edu)

Southern Regional Climate Center

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Southern Region

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | March 2017 

Southern Region

March 2017

Highlights for the Region

• It was a warmer than normal winter 

(December–February) for the southern 

region, with all six states reporting 

warmer than normal temperatures 

in December, January, and February, 

with many states having their warmest 

February on record. 

• Precipitation was abundant in southern 

Texas, and western Oklahoma. In 

Tennessee, much needed rain fell to 

help put out some of the Great Smoky 

Mountain wildfires. 

• The March 2016–February 2017 

temperatures were the warmest on 

record for the southern region as a whole, 

with Louisiana and Oklahoma reported 

their warmest March–February on record, 

and the other states reported one of their 

top five warmest March–February. 

National – Significant Events for February and Winter 2016–2017 

Regional – Climate Overview for December 2016–February 2017

The average U.S. temperature during February was 41.2°F, 7.3°F above average, and the second warmest on 

record. The winter U.S. temperature was 35.9°F, 3.7°F above average, and the sixth highest on record. February 

U.S. precipitation was 2.21 inches, 0.08 inches above average. The winter precipitation total was 8.22 inches, 1.43 

inches above average, and eighth wettest on record. 

Material provided in this map was compiled from NOAA’s State of the Climate Reports. For more information 

please visit: www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc

Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)

December 1, 2016–February 28, 2017

February average streamflow compared to 

historical streamflow. 

Departure from Normal Temperature (°F) 

December 1, 2016–February 28, 2017

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies Streamflows

The above figure illustrates the February 

average streamflow in the Texas Gulf and 

lower Mississippi basins as compared to 

historical streamflow. Streamflows in Texas are 

exhibiting near normal flow, except for in the 

eastern counties where a cluster of stations 

are below normal. There are areas in central 

Louisiana and Mississippi that are below 

normal to much below normal. Many locations 

in Arkansas and Tennessee are reporting near 

normal conditions.

Winter precipitation was variable throughout the 

southern region. Western Texas and Oklahoma 

reported 150–300% above normal precipitation, 

whereas areas in Arkansas reported 25–50% below 

normal precipitation. Northern Mississippi and 

northern Louisiana had below normal precipitation 

for the winter months. In contrast, the southern parts 

of those states were near normal precipitation. Some 

much needed rain fell in Tennessee in December and 

January to help put out some of the Great Smoky 

Mountain wildfires.

Overall, temperatures averaged between 2°F 

to 8°F above normal for most of the period 

spanning from December 2016 to February 

2017. Temperature anomalies in Louisiana, 

Mississippi, and southern Texas were slightly 

higher with the majority of stations averaging 

between 6°F to 10°F above normal. Both 

Louisiana and Texas had their warmest 

winter on record (1895–2017), with Louisiana 

reporting an average winter temperature of 

57.7°F. Arkansas and Tennessee had their 

second warmest winter on record. 
#regionalclimateoutlooks

Contact: Rudy Bartels (rbarte1@lsu.edu)

Southern Regional Climate Center

Southern Region

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | March 2017

Regional – Impacts for January–March 2017

Earth Scan Lab at Louisiana State University

www.esl.lsu.edu

NOAA/NWS Climate Prediction Center

www.cpc.noaa.gov

NOAA/NOS Gulf of Mexico Coastal Services Center

www.csc.noaa.gov

NOAA Gulf of Mexico Collaboration Team

www.regions.noaa.gov

NOAA/NESDIS National Centers for Environmental 

Information

www.ncei.noaa.gov

NOAA/NWS Southern Region 

www.srh.noaa.gov 

Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program

www.southernclimate.org

Southern Regional Climate Center

www.srcc.lsu.edu

Gulf Region Partners

According to the Climate Prediction Center, Spring (April, May, June) temperatures for the 

southern region are expected to be above normal in all six states. 

For most of the southern region, the Climate Prediction Center is giving equal chances of 

above or below normal Spring (April, May, June) precipitation, except for along the Gulf 

coast, where there is a slight chance of above normal rainfall. 

The southern region had its warmest winter on record in 2016–17. The temperature change throughout the region in December was variable, 

with the northern part of the region reporting near normal or slightly below normal temperatures. The southern part of the region reported, on 

average, 2°F–4°F above average for the month of December. In January most of the region reported above normal temperatures, with portions of 

Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee having 6°F–10°F above normal temperatures. The panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma exhibited near normal 

temperatures. In February, there were no areas in the southern region that were below or near normal. The whole region averaged 2°F above 

normal, with portions of each state reporting 9°F–12°F above normal. Louisiana did not have any areas where there were below or near normal 

temperatures for any winter month. In the entirety of winter 2016–17, Louisiana and Texas reported their warmest winter, Arkansas and Tennessee 

reported their second warmest winter, Mississippi reported its third warmest winter, and Oklahoma reported its fifth warmest winter. Farmers are 

concerned about the crops throughout the region, with growing degree days and growing cycles being effected by the warm temperatures. For 

some farmers in southern Texas, the unseasonable warmth has them anxious to start farming their spring crops earlier than usual according to 

the Southwest FarmPress in February 2017. Some farmers already have their tractors out in hopes to get an early start on the planting year, which is 

many farmers' optimal outcome. 

As of February 28, 2017, the southern region as 

a whole had its warmest March 2016–February 

2017 on record (recorded since 1895). Louisiana 

and Oklahoma saw their highest average 

temperatures ever for March 2016–February 

2017. The other states had their second or third 

warmest March–February on record. 

CPC Three-Month Outlook

Mar 2016–Feb 2017 

Temperatures

Temperature Precipitation 

A = Above normal temperatures 

B = Below normal rainfall

EC = Equal chances

N = Normal

Outlook for April–June 2017

Above: The departure from normal temperatures for December (left), January (middle), and February (right). Records date back to 1895.

Warm Winter 2016–17