PENDLETON — The Pendleton area experienced near normal temperatures during the month of March, according to preliminary data received by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service Office in Pendleton.

The average temperature during the month was 45.4 degrees, 0.3 degrees above normal. High temperatures averaged 57.7 degrees, 2.5 degrees above normal, according to the monthly climate summary.

The highest temperature was 73 degrees recorded on March 28.

Low temperatures averaged 33.1 degrees, 1.8 degrees below normal.

The lowest temperature for the month was 24 degrees, recorded on March 11.

There were 11 days with the low temperature below 32 degrees, according to the monthly climate summary.

Precipitation for the month totaled 0.32 inches, which was 1 inch below normal, the report said. Measurable precipitation — at least 0.01 inch — was received on seven days, with the heaviest, 0.06 inches, reported on March 19.

Precipitation for the year is 3.34 inches, more than a half-inch below normal. Since October 2020, the water year precipitation at the Pendleton airport has been 7.79 inches, 0.07 inches below normal.

Snowfall totaled a trace amount on March 15.

The highest wind gust was 73 mph on March 28, and two days when the wind exceeded 50 mph.

The outlook for April from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center calls for near to below normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. Normal highs for the Pendleton airport rise from 59 degrees at the start of April to 66 degrees at the end of the month. Normal lows rise from 38 degrees to 42 degrees. The 30-year normal precipitation is 1.20 inches.