Happy (almost) St. Patrick’s Day! Whether you’re heading to a parade or just hoping for some good luck, the weather can make or break the fun. So, how has the weather shaped up in the CSRA over the years, and what’s normal for this festive day? Let’s take a look!
First off, let’s talk temperatures. The average high temperature for St. Patrick’s Day in the Augusta area is 69.3 degrees, but the past five years have been consistently warmer than the overall average, all landing in the 70s! Now, we have seen some extremes. The warmest St. Patrick’s Day on record was way back in 1945, when it hit a scorching 90 degrees! On the flip side, the coldest St. Patrick’s Days were in 1892 and 2005, dipping down to a chilly 42 degrees. But don’t worry too much about those extremes. A whopping 98% of years have seen high temperatures at or above 50 degrees on St. Patrick’s Day. So, chances are pretty good you won’t need your winter coat.
Now, what about rain? Historically, rain isn’t much of a concern, with an average precipitation of just 0.09 inches. It seems like Mother Nature usually gives us a green light (pun intended!) to enjoy the festivities outdoors. About 32% of the years have measurable precipitation.
The past five years show this trend, with most of it a trace, except:
- 2023, was an exception, bringing 0.58 inches of rain.
- 2024 had 0.11 inches of rain.
And if you go back even further, the wettest St. Patrick’s Day on record saw 1.96 inches in 1920—hope those parade-goers had ponchos!
Oh, and here’s a fun (and rare) weather twist—back in 1936, the Augusta area actually saw a trace of snow on St. Patrick’s Day! Now that would be an unexpected way to celebrate!
No matter the weather, have a fantastic and safe St. Patrick’s Day! May the luck of the Irish bring us plenty of sunshine!
Do you have a weather-related topic that you’d like to learn the science behind? Submit your ideas to [email protected].
