March 2013 Summary

In Brief:
A very cold month, particularly for March, but with two wet and milder spells.

Temperature: [Minimum]:
The coldest night of the month was that of the 11th/12th when the temperature fell to -2.3 degs C. This was the coldest night since February 2nd/3rd 2012 and the coldest March night ever at this location*.
The highest minimum in March 2013 was 13.4 degs C on the night of the 7th/8th, which was actually the warmest ever March night* by some margin.  Previously this was 11.4 degs C, set in March 2010.

Despite this mild night however, the average minimum temperature for March 2013 was just 5.64 degs C, making it the coldest month for nights since February 2012, and the second coldest for March since at least 2004.  2010 was the coldest with 4.94 degs C.  
Average night-time temperatures have fallen every month since August 2012.

The temperature fell below 5 degs C during the month on 15 nights, the most number of times of any month since January 2011, and the second most for March*.  Once again 2010 took first place with 18.
The temperature also fell below 0 degs C once, for the first time since February 2012.

Temperature: [Maximum]:
The coldest day of the month was the 11th with 3.2 degs C.  It was the coldest March day ever at this location,* again by some margin.  5.8 degs C was the previous coldest March maximum, set in 2005.
It wasn't the coldest day of winter 2012/13 however, as the maximum was just 2.8 degs C on January 20th.
The warmest day of the month was the 8th, with 16.6 degs C - the warmest day since October 2012.

The average daytime temperature for March 2013 was 9.85 degs C, making it the coldest ever March at this location*, again by some margin.  Previously March 2006 held this honour with 11.38 degs C.
March 2013 was also the coldest of any month for average daytime temperature since January 2011 [9.83 degs C], and the 5th coldest month ever at this location*.
As with night-time temperatures, the daytime average has fallen every month since August 2012.

Rainfall:
119.3 mm of rain fell during March 2013, making it the wettest March of the last 5.  Previously this was March 2010 with 90.8 mm.  The total compares with 130.9 mm in January 2013, 72.0 mm in February 2013, and 25.6 mm in March 2012.
The wettest day itself was the 21st with 44.3 mm, which was the wettest day since November 24th 2012, and the 5th wettest day ever at this location, [since at least April 2008]. 

Despite the highish rainfall totals, there were 12 completely dry days, and 19 with no measurable rain during the month.  This was the least number for March though, following the run of comparatively dry Marches during the last few years. 
Most of the month's rain fell from the 15th to the 22nd, with just 0.4 mm falling by the 6th, 0 mm from the 11th-14th, and 0.7 from the 23rd.

Cumulatively to the end of March, 322.3 mm of rain has fallen during 2013, which is over double that of the same period in 2012 [141.4 mm], however from April 2012 onwards things were about to change!

*Since at least 2004.