March 2014

Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Mean daily maximum: 10.3
Difference from average: +1.9

Mean daily minimum: 3.1
Difference from average: +1.5

Mean air temperature: 6.7
Difference from average: +1.7

Absolute maximum: 15.2 (13th)

Absolute minimum: -3.3 (24th)

Mean grass minimum: 1.4

Absolute grass minimum: -6.3 (24th)

Number of ground frosts: 13

Number of air frosts: 5

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 7.0

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 7.3

Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 29.6
Difference from average: -21.6

Percentage of the average: 58%

Wettest day(s): 5.2 (27th & 28th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 12

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 8

3-month total rainfall to 31st March: 158.8
Difference from average: -13.2

6-month rainfall total to 31st March: 378.4
Difference from average: +32.2

12-month rainfall total to 31st March: 748.8
Difference from average: +99.8

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 80%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 125.6 hours
Difference from average: +20.1

Percentage of the average: 119%

Mean daily sunshine: 4.1 hours
Difference from average: +0.7

Sunniest day: 9.2 hours (13th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 4

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 278.1 hours
Difference from average: +53.4

ISSN1350-483

Comments on March 2014
Unlike the very cold March of 2013, this March was well above average, equal 20th warmest since 1850. The number of ground frosts was the lowest for March since 2007. It was a dry March, the equal 56th lowest total in 165 years of record at Durham. Even so, the 12-month total remained well above average. It was a reasonably sunny month too, but still well short of the 1894 record of 191 hours.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University