March 2011 Summary

In general, March 2011 was very dry, and after a mild February, it's night-time temperatures, though around average for March, were lower than those of the previous month.

Temperatures [Minimum]:
Night-time temperatures ranged from 0.3 degs C on the night of the 4th/5th, to 11.2 degs C on the night of the 30th/31st, giving an average of 5.96 degs C, which compares to a February minimum of 7.45 degs C.
This was not the first time the March minimum average has been below that of February however, as it also happened in both 2007 and 2008.
Six nights during March were colder than the minimum reached during February [3.1], although compared to other recent Marches, 2011 was only the third coldest of the last eight.
Conversely, the 11.2 recorded on the night of the 30th/31st was the second warmest March night at this location* - beaten only by 11.4 in 2010.

The temperature fell below 5 degs C 9 times during the month, the least number of occasions for March, but twice more than in February. Last March [2010] the minimum fell below 5 degs C 18 times!

Temperature [Maximum]:
Daytime temperatures ranged from 7.3 degs C on the 4th to 17.1 on the 30th, giving an average of 13.05.
Following the reverse trend against February found in the minimum figures, the 7.3 degs recorded was lower than any day during February, when 9.7 was the lowest. Four further days in March - [all in the first 6 days] - recorded lower temperatures than the February minimum.
After that time however, maxima recovered and the average of 13.05 was the 3rd highest of the last eight.
17.1 on the 30th made it the warmest day since 5 November 2010, and the warmest ever March day at this location*

Rainfall:
Probably the most significant feature of March 2011 was the lack of rainfall - with just 22.7 mm recorded for the whole month - making it the driest month since May 2010 [20.2mm] and the driest March of the last three - figures do not go back beyond 2009.
This compares to 101.3 mm in February 2011 and 90.8 in March 2010.
The wettest day was the 30th [also the warmest], with 9.0 mm, and a further 3.3 fell on the 31st**, so if it had not been for those last two days, March 2011 would have easily been the driest month ever recorded at this location.
In total there were 19 completely dry days - with no rain at all between the 1st and the 8th and the 19th and the 28th.

* Since 2004.
** Until 1400 only - however no more than 0.9 mm would have fallen between then and 2200 - the normal reading time.