Daily log (where significant weather)
Thu 1st exceptionally cold: min -7.3c coldest March night since 1965 (-9.4c) at Coventry, at Llanwnnen (Lwn) min -8.2c only the coldest since 2012 (-10.2c). Minima Tirabad -9.0c, MH (Milford Haven) -6.7c, Aberporth -6.3c, Valley -4.8c,; CL -7.3c, Shawbury -5.9c. Ice day virtually everywhere including coasts, one of the coldest March days ever recorded.. max -2.3c Lwn easily beat the record (1.1c 24/3/13). Perishingly cold with the fresh to strong NE wind too. Maxima Tirabad -4.6c, Aberporth & MH -2.0c, Valley -0.2c; Shobdon -3.2c, CL -3.0c, Coventry -2.9c, Shawbury -2.3c. UK low max record for March may have gone, max Tredegar -5.2c to 2100 beating record set in 1965. Also this was the coldest March day CET since 1878.. http://www.xmetman.com/wp/2018/03/02/coldest-march-day-since-1878/
Fri 2nd localised heavy snowfalls brought about by Storm Emma overnight, level amounts in most areas modest/ negligible but drifting severe. St Athan reported to have had 53cm level snow, SE Wales hardest hit; Ceredigion in the lee of the hills to the east largely escaped, here at Lwn no more than light flurries amounting to nothing while parts of Pembs were also hard hit. Officially Tredegar max was -4.7c (to 0900 presumably) and so a March record. Parts of Midlands 15cm snowfall today, Coventry reports 8-15cm (again drifting).
Sat 3rd Lwn 1630 Feb 27th went sub zero, above zero 0800 March 3rd, 3 successive ice days and latest such run (no ice days recorded after January until this spell srb 2006). CL sub zero late afternoon Feb 26th to midday March 3rd almost 5 days. Further slight snowfalls locally later in the day (as Lwn and Warwickshire). Temps barely above freezing Midlands..
Tue 5th wet WW, not so much most of Midlands, Whitechurch (Pembs) 28.6mm wettest in UK
Sat 10th mild, max 12.5c 0900 Lwn highest reading since Nov 22nd (Pershore College 14.6c, Trawsgoed 14.3c, Aberdaron 10.4c)
Sun 11th mild or very mild (Trawsgoed 14.4c, Lwn 13.8c, Pershore Coll 13.7c)
Thu 15th Wet much of WW, 35.7mm 14th Lwn the wettest March day since 5/03/07) (37.7mm). Very mild locally (Porthmadog 15.8c, Mona 14.6c)
Sun 18th 'mini beat from the east' second cold blast in a few weeks! This was the coldest March 18th CET since 1853 (-0.8c against -1.3c). Latest Spring ice day at Bablake for 126 years (previous -1.6c 6/03/42). Widespread snowfalls especially Midlands where widely 5- 10cm and large drifts. Coventry, Aldermans Green 8- 10cm on lawns. Minima with the cloud and snow were widely -2 or -3c (MH -1.8c, Pembrey -1.3c). Day maxima to 1800 Tirabad -2.6c, Coventry -1.4c, Aberporth -0.2c, Lwn +0.1c
Tue 20th sunny WW, Valley 11.5 hrs, Aberporth 11 hrs, Lwn 9 hrs est
Wed 21st sharp frosts, min Lwn -4.8c, Pembrey & Pershore -4.7c
Nature notes
Severe weather first few days brought many Starlings into garden they drilled into the lawn to find insects leavibg hundreds of little circles and holes, they focused on softer areas where growth longer or sheltered under shrubs.
Daffs, Snowdrops and Primroses seem badly affected being flattened and wilted with drooping flowers, escaped this where well sheltered.
Countryside has that brown stripped down look with much new growth curtailed or withered inc Celandines and ferns
3rd Female Peregrine alighted on the holly tree sussing out prey though they had already left, really good view. Bullfinch in garden, had a good view of one feeding on seeds in along front boundary in Dec and just 10 feet away and for 10 minutes or so.
Mid month still profuse areas of Snowdrop (mainly recovered from cold), profuse Daffs now (also recovered to upright), also plentiful Celandine and Primrose bloom.
Late month pleased to see a Greenfinch on niger feeder (rarely seen past few years)
Month end still quite a few Daffs not yet opened to flower yet, still some Snowdrop in bloom, most over
Unusually yet to hear first Chiffchaff although they have been reported across Ceredigion since mid month here: http://ceredigionbirds33.blogspot.co.uk/
March 2018 summary
Cool and wet or very wet; sunshine genetrally below normal
Month contained two exceptionally cold early Spring spells of easterly winds and some snow.
It was a rare occurremce to see March ice days (the first here srb 2006) and record low March maxima in many areas.
Mean temperatures generally between 1 and 2c below the 1981-2010 averages.
Wettest March for England and Wales since 1981.
Wettest March Coventry since 1947 (126.6mm), while here at Llanwnnen March 2017 was wetter (153.9mm).
Below average sunshine everywhere, locally very dull such as Marches.
Rainfall totals:
Valley 86.4mm (138%)
Trawsgoed 104.2mm 107%)
Aberporth 91.8mm (147%)
Llanwnnen 143.4mm (173%)
MH 110.2mm
Mumbles 114.8mm (157%)
Coventry, Bablake School 113.6mm (240%)
Long Lawford
Church Lawford 82.2mm (163%)
Coleshill 94.8mm (187%)
Pershore 93.2mm (238%)
Shawbury 83.4mm (180%)
Sunshine:
Valley 108.3 hrs (95%)
Aberporth 100.6 hrs (85%)
Llanwnnen estimation 85 hrs (93%)
Nottingham 67.8 hrs (65%)
Coventry, Bablake School 92.2 hrs (81%)
Shawbury 59.9 hrs (62%)
Shobdon c. 75 hrs
Tue 5th wet WW, not so much most of Midlands, Whitechurch (Pembs) 28.6mm wettest in UK
Sat 10th mild, max 12.5c 0900 Lwn highest reading since Nov 22nd (Pershore College 14.6c, Trawsgoed 14.3c, Aberdaron 10.4c)
Sun 11th mild or very mild (Trawsgoed 14.4c, Lwn 13.8c, Pershore Coll 13.7c)
Thu 15th Wet much of WW, 35.7mm 14th Lwn the wettest March day since 5/03/07) (37.7mm). Very mild locally (Porthmadog 15.8c, Mona 14.6c)
Sun 18th 'mini beat from the east' second cold blast in a few weeks! This was the coldest March 18th CET since 1853 (-0.8c against -1.3c). Latest Spring ice day at Bablake for 126 years (previous -1.6c 6/03/42). Widespread snowfalls especially Midlands where widely 5- 10cm and large drifts. Coventry, Aldermans Green 8- 10cm on lawns. Minima with the cloud and snow were widely -2 or -3c (MH -1.8c, Pembrey -1.3c). Day maxima to 1800 Tirabad -2.6c, Coventry -1.4c, Aberporth -0.2c, Lwn +0.1c
Tue 20th sunny WW, Valley 11.5 hrs, Aberporth 11 hrs, Lwn 9 hrs est
Wed 21st sharp frosts, min Lwn -4.8c, Pembrey & Pershore -4.7c
Nature notes
Severe weather first few days brought many Starlings into garden they drilled into the lawn to find insects leavibg hundreds of little circles and holes, they focused on softer areas where growth longer or sheltered under shrubs.
Daffs, Snowdrops and Primroses seem badly affected being flattened and wilted with drooping flowers, escaped this where well sheltered.
Countryside has that brown stripped down look with much new growth curtailed or withered inc Celandines and ferns
3rd Female Peregrine alighted on the holly tree sussing out prey though they had already left, really good view. Bullfinch in garden, had a good view of one feeding on seeds in along front boundary in Dec and just 10 feet away and for 10 minutes or so.
Mid month still profuse areas of Snowdrop (mainly recovered from cold), profuse Daffs now (also recovered to upright), also plentiful Celandine and Primrose bloom.
Late month pleased to see a Greenfinch on niger feeder (rarely seen past few years)
Month end still quite a few Daffs not yet opened to flower yet, still some Snowdrop in bloom, most over
Unusually yet to hear first Chiffchaff although they have been reported across Ceredigion since mid month here: http://ceredigionbirds33.blogspot.co.uk/
March 2018 summary
Cool and wet or very wet; sunshine genetrally below normal
Month contained two exceptionally cold early Spring spells of easterly winds and some snow.
It was a rare occurremce to see March ice days (the first here srb 2006) and record low March maxima in many areas.
Mean temperatures generally between 1 and 2c below the 1981-2010 averages.
Wettest March for England and Wales since 1981.
Wettest March Coventry since 1947 (126.6mm), while here at Llanwnnen March 2017 was wetter (153.9mm).
Below average sunshine everywhere, locally very dull such as Marches.
Rainfall totals:
Valley 86.4mm (138%)
Trawsgoed 104.2mm 107%)
Aberporth 91.8mm (147%)
Llanwnnen 143.4mm (173%)
MH 110.2mm
Mumbles 114.8mm (157%)
Coventry, Bablake School 113.6mm (240%)
Long Lawford
Church Lawford 82.2mm (163%)
Coleshill 94.8mm (187%)
Pershore 93.2mm (238%)
Shawbury 83.4mm (180%)
Sunshine:
Valley 108.3 hrs (95%)
Aberporth 100.6 hrs (85%)
Llanwnnen estimation 85 hrs (93%)
Nottingham 67.8 hrs (65%)
Coventry, Bablake School 92.2 hrs (81%)
Shawbury 59.9 hrs (62%)
Shobdon c. 75 hrs
