Weather log March 2020

Weather log March 2020

Key:

WW = West Wales

Lwn = Llanwnnen

AG = Aldermans Green, Coventry

CL = Church Lawford

ROW = Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

CC = Capel Curig, Snowdonia

MH = Milford Haven

Mids = Midlands

CITE = Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire

COL = Climatological Observers Link

PWS = Personal weather station

Drier start to the month cf February's deluge! Sunny intervals and small amounts of rain...temperatures near or little below average..

Fri 6th quite a sharp frost Lwn min -4.2c - other minima Shawbury -4.2c, Hereford -3.7c, CC -3.5c, MH 3.3c

Unsettled then through to mid month..

Dry spell after mid month with some fine, sunny weather but also night frosts:

Sun 22nd sunny and rather mild generally; max Porthmadog 14.3c warmest in UK, Lwn & Trawsgoed 13.0c, Pembrey 12.9c, ROW 12.0c, Shawbury 10.4c Aberporth 9.7c; sunniest spots Aberporth 11.3 hrs, Shobdon 11.2 hrs (Llanwnnen est 11 hrs)

Mon 23rd widespread frost, min Shobdon -3.1c, CL -2.3c, CC -1.7c, Lwn -0.4c, MH 5.5c.

Another mild/ rather warm and sunny day for many, max Llanwnnen 17.2c, Trawsgoed 15.7c (warmest in UK), MH 10.4c, Coleshill 13.8c, Shobdon 12.1c

Tue 24th bright and rather warm after another widespread slight frost..Lwn max 17.4c (Rhyl 19.4c warmest in UK, Trawsgoed 18.4c, ROW 17.8c, Hereford 17.7c, CL 15.7c, Aberdaron 11.4c

Wed 25th widespread frost again inland..Pershore min -2.6c, Tirabad -0.5c, Lwn -0.1c, Shawbury & Watnall 3.0c, Valley 7.8c

Thu 26th widespread frost min Lwn -4.1c, Pershore -3.7c, Trawsgoed -2.2c, Pembrey -0.6c, Aberdaron 6.4c.  Fine and sunny again very low RH, 24% min RH here at Lwn, still grass frost 10am with air temp 12c!  Rather warm with unbroken sunshine for many, Lwn max 18.7c, Porthmadog 17.9c, CC 17.2c, Newport, Salop 16.2c, Watnall 16.1c, Aberporth 15.9c, Mumbles 13.3c (Trawsgoed missing); Aberporth 12.1 hrs & Watnall 11.8 hrs sun, Shobdon 11.9 hrs, Lwn 11.5 hrs est, Aberdaron 11.1 hrs

Fri 27th less mild but still sunny after widespread frost...min Lwn -4.2c, CC & Trawsgoed -3.5c, Pershore -2.2c, Aberdaron 4.6c..Aberporth sunniest in UK 12.2 hrs, many places above 11 hours inc Lwn 11.5 hours with past 3 days of unbroken sunshine.  Max generally 12 to 14c (Porthmadog 16.2c warmest in UK, Lwn 14.6c, Watnall 11.6c, Aberporth 10.6c

Sun 29th some places had sleet or snow flurries inc Rugby today, much colder max generally below 10c; Lwn 10.3c, Pembrey 10.1c officially mildest in UK, ROW 9.1c, Coleshill & Watnall 7.6c, Aberdaron 7.4c

Mon 30th min -4.3c Lwn lowest of the month, although third sub -4c in past week; other minima Trawsgoed -4.0c, Pembrey -2.9c, Pershore -1.5c, Watnall 0.8c, Aberporth 3.3c

Nature notes:

First lawn cut here first week (last year it was late Feb the earliest).

c 11th likely Chiffchaff heard towards Slough from AG, it was windy so not certain and only briefly heard the one day (on passage?)

Fri 13th Green Woodpecker seen from AG window feeding along edges of lawns for some time.

Sat 14th first Bluebell in flower Long Lawford

Sun 15th hedgerows well into leaf along the M5 (Worcestershire) and also along A40 in Monmouthshire (milder zones)

Plenty of Gorse bloom by mid month.

Fabulous Daff bloom this year.

Mon 23rd plenty of Chiffchaff Longwood

Wed 25th first heard Chiffchaff from garden

Wed 25th quite as few Chiffchaff Llwyndrissi forestry; near gate and car 2 Chiffchaff calling and visible then a Willow Warbler. This is early for latter (not sure heard in March before?) also could have been a case of a WW that has taken on the CC call (as was reported as happening due to their decline on Springwatch?) particularly as only one CC was then to be heard! Peacock butterfly sun basking allowing close-up photos by SRH

GSW drumming daily and often this fine sunny week, occasionally two of them

Plenty of Primrose and Celandine bloom month end

3 Pipistrelle bats above garden one evening near month end.



March 2020 summary

Generally rather dry and quite sunny; only half the average March rainfall in places; average to rather mild temperatures

Rainfall March 2020

Valley, Anglesey 32.6mm (52%)
Aberporth 51.2mm (82%)
Llanwnnen 95.8mm (115%)
MH 69.0mm
Mumbles c 70mm

Watnall 34.0mm
Coleshill 33.0mm (65%)
Coventry, Bablake School 32.4mm (68%)
Church Lawford 36.6mm (81%)
Pershore, Worc 25.2mm (64%)
Hereford 41.8mm (83%)

COL stations

Cosby, Leic 36.2mm (73%)
Alvechurch, Worc 40.4mm (90%)
Towcester, Northants 32.7mm (72%)


Sunshine March 2020

Valley 173.5 hrs (141%)
Aberdaron 178.8 hrs
Aberporth 168.2 hrs (143%)
Llanwnnen est 132 hrs (141%)

Watnall, Notts 143.6 hrs (138%)
Shawbury, Salop 142.9 hrs (137%)
Coventry 157.1 hrs (138%)
Wellesbourne, Warks 154.2 hrs (145%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 143.9 hrs
ROW 140.1 hrs (123%)