Weather-history

Roger J Smith

Going to be another snowless March for my area. Since the frigid March of 2013; Marches 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and now 2024 were snowless. March 2022 had just a few flakes falling right at the end of the month, Even before March 2013, Marches 2009, 2011 and 2012 were snowless. I don't recall seeing falling snow during March 2010.

Good Friday 1987 was a superb day, remember that well, it was a better day than bulk of the days during the following summer.

Pretty much a huge bust for many across the world considering the hype. Did anywhere get a decent display?

From the Independent of June 2013

A really potent frigid NEly hit the UK around the 24th-26th March 1898 brought what turned to be the severest wintry spell of 1898, nationwide. Comments from that period Addington: Strong gales blew on the 24th, 25th, 26th with showers of snow which formed great wreaths by the sides of hedges. Bury St Edmunds: Snow storms set in on 23rd and continued for 5 days. snow plough was used on the roads on 25th. Cheltenham: a blizzard Haslemere: Gale with snow, 8ft deep snow drifts in hollow lanes Lexden: First snow to lie this winter Ross, the Graig: Strong gale and violent squalls of snow Tenterden: 4/5 inches of snow at night London 24th March: 33°F, 30°F 25th March: 36°F, 33°F 26th March: 36°F, 35°F Manchester 24th March: 40°F, 34.2°F

1995

Another burst of spring warmth during the exceptionally warm February-May 1945, this time centred around 23rd/24th March. I noticed that wartime restrictions on weather data being released in newspapers immediately after an event was starting to relax as it was clear the war in Europe was soon to come to an end. Temperatures 23rd March Bath: max: 67°F Birmingham: 69°F Blackpool: 67°F Coventry: 67°F 10.5hrs of sunshine Edinburgh Royal Observatory: 68°F Glasgow, Springburn Park: 71°F 9hrs of sunshine Harborough: 66°F London: 73°F Lochaber: 69°F Manchester: 67°F 10.1hrs of sunshine Plymouth: 62.3°F West Kirby: 66°F 10hrs of sunshine 24th March Edinburgh Royal Observatory: 65°F Glasgow, Springburn Park: 66°F 7.3hrs of sunshine Lincoln: 69°F Manchester: 68°F 7.9hrs of sunshine Ullswater: 67°F

I thought we might get away with it this March in terms of wetness, but it is going to be yet another wetter than average month.

21st March 1983 was a very active day with showers, thunderstorms, gales, hail, snow, whirlwinds and even a shower of sea shells.

20th March 1989, remember this well. It was the start of Easter school holidays, it was a Monday. Rain moved in from the west during the early afternoon and the temperatures were such that there was a possibility that this could turn to snow. As the afternoon went on, it gradually turned to snow and by 5pm, there was a covering of snow on the ground. Went out in the evening to make a snowman during a graupel and snow shower. It was the 2nd evaporative cooling snow event within a month (the other was 24th Feb)

20 years ago

Timelapses I took from that period

Has anyone else noticed that the champions of that "worryingly dry" thread have been conspicuous by their absence in this thread?

For the 3rd March in the row, there was a wintry spell around mid March which brought disruptive snowfalls. 1978, 1979 and 1980. March 1980 had a CET of 4.7°C and was a wet month with an EWP of 102.2mm

CryoraptorA303 It has to be said that Morecambe is pretty sheltered from anything between north and east on the compass, so the January and February figures may not that far off. Castletown on Isle of Man recorded 97.1hrs that February, seen a report of 99hrs at some location in Yorkshire

17th March 1972 was a warm one for parts of the NW

Sunshine hours for Morecambe in 1895 Jan: 102 Feb: 135 Mar: 114 Apr: 220 May: 301 Jun: 346 Jul: 290 Aug: 231 Sep: 249 Oct: 137 Nov: 93 Dec: 59

Scorcher Seen sunshine totals that were recorded in Morecambe for the years 1893 to 1895 and I almost fell out of my chair. Surely these can not be right 1893: 2526 hrs 1894: 2412hrs 1895: 2227hrs

For NW region, July 2023-February 2024 sunshine totals is 649.4hrs, 15 hours more than was recorded than during the spring of 2020.

-0.9°C here

The Cheltenham Gold Cup has been delayed (1987 was a well known instance) and or raced through snow in the past but on the 16th March 1978, the meeting was postponed until the 12th of April as disruptive snowfalls hit parts of the south.