A turbulent March in North Carolina was marked by a period of intense temperature swings, with temperatures fluctuating rapidly. North Carolina recorded its fourth-warmest March on record, with a statewide average temperature of 56.7% and a statewide temperature of 55.7%. Raleigh and Charlotte each recorded one of their three warmest Marches, while some areas saw temperatures climb into the upper 80s and even 90 degrees earlier than usual. The state also experienced the fifth-driest March in record, continuing a trend of below-normal rainfall dating back to last fall. The instability was not limited to temperature, but also the state’s fifth-highest rainfall ever recorded. Scientists describe this pattern as “weather whiplash” a rapid swing between extremes that can occur within weeks or even days. The volatility of weather conditions can increase risks for agriculture and exacerbate problems for planting and water systems. The shifts can be traced to the jet stream, a fast-moving current of air that helps steer weather systems across the country.