Monday 16th March
The weather front that crossed our area on Sunday was an hour or so later than forecast but it did blot out the sunshine just after 12.00 with the first rain observed at 12.20 that totalled 5.4mm during the afternoon with showers again around midnight. The maximum temperature of 12.3C, that occurred at 12.01 before the sun disappeared, was 1.5C above average that made it the warmest day since the 5th. The peak solar radiation of 680W/m2 occurred at this time, at 11.56, whilst not surprisingly the peak UV level of 2.7 was recorded at 11.8 being the strongest since 6th October.
The new day on Monday revealed another cloudy start thanks to another weather front advancing from the west. This will result in the cloud thickening as the morning progresses and light rain likely late morning.
The barometric pressure is very slowly building. By Tuesday it will begin to squash out weather fronts trying to make progress across the UK and herald a short period of warmth and sunshine. By Thursday the anticyclone will be almost overhead the UK that will continue the fine weather with the wind having veered into the east, coming from the Continent. The temperatures by day will be well above average making it feel very warm in light winds.
The Met Office has issued an interesting article on March weather extremes.
March is a pivotal month in the UK weather calendar, marking the transition from winter into spring.
It is a month defined by contrasts, milder days can quickly give way to sharp frosts, and tranquil spells may be punctuated by gales or heavy rainfall. The climatological records from across the UK highlight just how varied and dynamic March can be.
Here, we take a closer look at the most significant March extremes on record, showcasing the warmest, coldest, wettest and windiest conditions ever observed during the month.
Warmest March days on record
March is capable of producing early taste-of-spring warmth. The highest UK temperature recorded in March is 25.6°C, reached at Mepal in Cambridgeshire on 29 March 1968. This value stands out as a reminder that high pressure, light winds and sunshine can combine to bring notably warm days even before April arrives.
Across the nations, England shares this national record, while Wales has reached 23.9°C (Prestatyn and Ceinws, 29 March 1965). Scotland’s warmest March day reached 23.6°C (Aboyne, 27 March 2012), and Northern Ireland peaked at 21.8°C (Armagh, 29 March 1965).
More recent years have also produced warm March days. In 2025, the highest daily maximum observed was 21.3°C at Chertsey in Surrey and Northolt on 20 March, reflecting the continued variability the month can offer.
This continues tomorrow.
It is lambing time so I thought it appropriate, over the next few days, to attach a selection of images. Today I captured ‘refreshment time’!