Debunking the Myth: Do Big Snowstorms Really Hit Iowa’s High School State Basketball Tournaments?
Snowfall and Iowa’s high school state basketball tournaments seem to have a legendary relationship, often conjuring images of teams battling not just on the court but against the elements. But is this association between March snowstorms and basketball games a myth or a fact? Let’s delve into the data and find out.
Snowfall Trends in Des Moines: Analyzing Seven Decades of Data
To understand the correlation between snowstorms and the high school state basketball tournaments, we examined snowfall data in Des Moines spanning from 1950 to 2023, specifically focusing on the first two weeks of March, coinciding with the tournaments’ usual timing.
Week of March 1-7:
- Only four instances in the last 70 years saw snowfall exceeding six inches over two consecutive days.
- This means that around 94% of the time during this period, Des Moines experienced tolerable weather conditions.
Week of March 8-14:
- Similarly, only five occasions in the last seven decades recorded snowfall surpassing six inches over two consecutive days.
- Again, around 95% of the time during this period, Des Moines enjoyed manageable weather conditions.
Putting Numbers into Perspective
Examining the top snowfall totals during these weeks across the years provides further insights:
- The highest snowfall totals occurred in 1965, 1955, and 1982 during the first week of March, while 1951 claimed the top spot for the second week.
- Notably, the more recent years of 1999 and 1998 also witnessed significant snowfall during the second week of March.
Dispelling the Myth
While it’s undeniable that central Iowa has experienced significant snowstorms during the first half of March, the data overwhelmingly suggests that such occurrences are rare. In fact, the vast majority of the time, Des Moines sees relatively mild weather during the high school state basketball tournaments. So why is it common to hear people make the statement that we will make up for nice weather during state basketball time? It’s likely a perception issue. Most of us tend to remember big weather events that occur, and then we associate that weather pattern with the same time frame every year. So next time you hear someone make that claim, you can tell them it’s simply not true.
Weather Outlook for 2024 State Tournament Time
Looking ahead to the end of February, there is a strong signal for temperatures to be above normal. As for what the month of March holds, the current forecast has equal chances for above and below normal temperatures. But if the models continue to trend the way they have been, March is looking to start out on the mild side.
Data provided by the National Weather Service Des Moines