Author: Eric Gilbert

After a bright start yesterday the cloud moved in mid-morning and rain arrived just after noon. The total rainfall was 8.0mm, bringing the total for March to 52.5mm, which is 93% of the March average. The maximum yesterday was close to the average at 10.6C. Overnight the cloud started to clear just after 04.00 when the temperature dropped almost 4C over the next two hours to a minimum of 3.9C before it started to rise again as the sun rose on a glorious morning.

Yesterday marked the day when the persistent cold north-easterly/north winds, which we have endured for the last twelve days, dropped out and started to come from a more westerly direction as the barometric pressure fell. There was no frost overnight as the cloud cover kept the minimum temperature to 2.2C. There was no strong sunshine but bright sunshine amounted to 7.5 hours.

Yesterday was the second consecutive day with much strong sunshine, 5.45 hours, making it the thirteenth consecutive day with minimal rain fall (0.2mm on the 16th). The temperature began to fall continuously after 16.00 and reached a minimum of -1.3C just after 02.00. By dawn the cloud cover was complete, the humidity had risen markedly and the temperature recovered to 3.9C at 08.00.

Yesterday brought a welcome 5.9 hours of strong sunshine producing the warmest day this month with a maximum of 12.0C. Overnight the thermometer dropped steadily until just after 03.30 when it fell below zero to a minimum of -1.7C at 06.17. After sunrise the air temperature recovered to 2.9C at 08.00.

Yesterday brought a little sunshine amounting to 0.34 hours after two overcast days. Overnight the wind dropped out with barely a movement of air after midnight that with a clearing sky produced a touch of grass frost before dawn and a minimum of 0.2C. This morning broke with glorious sunshine, with just a hint of air movement and the temperature of 4.2C at 08.00.