Cool and wet best describes the month of March around Akron, although it was two main storms that really dominated the final monthly outcome. The average high for the month was 50.0° compared to the normal of 52.7°. The average low was 21.5° compared to the normal of 26.1°. Extremes ranged from a high of 79° on the 16th to -6° on the 25th. Total precipitation for the month measured 1.91 inches which was well above the normal value of 0.93 inches. There was 15.5 inches of snow recorded for the month with a maximum snow depth of 9 inches on the 23rd.

February 2013 brought near normal precipitation and slightly below normal temperatures to the Akron area. The average high for the month was 43.2°, just slightly below the normal of 43.9°. The average low for the month was 15.7°, which was 3° below the normal value of 18.7°. Temperature extremes for the month ranged from of 65° on the 18th to a low of 3° on both the 25th and 26th. There was 0.38 inches of precipitation measured during the month, which was very close to the normal value of 0.40 inches. Akron measured 8 inches of snow during February. The maximum snow depth was 5 inches measured on the 25th.

Temperatures were above normal by day and below normal at night in Akron during the month of January. The average high was 43.1° which was above the normal value of 40.7°. The overnight low averaged 14.1° compared to the normal low of 15.8°. Temperature extremes ranged from a high of 64° on the 25th to a low of -7° on the 15th. Akron recorded 0.12 inches of precipitation for the month compared to the normal value of 0.36 inches. There was 3.2 inches of snow recorded during January with a maximum snow depth of 4 inches measured the 2nd-8th.

December 2012 was warmer than normal for the Akron weather station, with an average high of 44.1° and an average low of 16.2°. The normal values are 40.4° for the high and 15.6° for the low. Extremes ranged from 68° on the 3rd to -11° on the 26th. Precipitation was right on target with 0.41 inches measured during the month. The normal value is 0.42 inches. Snowfall for the month was 6.0 inches, with a maximum snow depth of 4 inches recorded on the 20th and 25th.

The drought conditions currently facing eastern Colorado is contributing to a higher-than average hazard for grasshoppers in Northeast Colorado, with concentrations of adult grasshoppers in excess of 15 per square yard in some locations in the Platte river valley. Drier conditions increase the survival rates of juvenile grasshoppers, and also limits the ability of plants to rebound after being fed upon by grasshoppers. Grasshopper infestations manifest themselves in poorer range conditions, which in turn affects the economic benefit of the beef industry.

Read more online at: The Fort Morgan Times