March Weather

March 2021 Weather Summary – Dry and Warming

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#durhamwx #march2021 After what seemed to be a long winter, the weather in March 2021 eventually eased us away from the bleakness of February. The first week was still cold, as high pressure persisted, but things became more mobile for a short period after the 10th, with more cyclonic conditions bringing a rise in temperature and the month’s only ‘wet spell’. The two warmest days were the last two. Beautiful conditions let the thermometer peak at just shy of 20 degC. Sunshine was abundant and it was true shirt sleeve weather. It felt like Spring was truly here at last … [Read more]

The last 5 Marches in the UK according to Trevor Harley

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2016 Low pressure at the start and end of the month sandwiching a ten-day anticyclonic spell from the 13th to the 23rd. The named Storm Katie brought strong winds to the south on the 28th. Overall temperatures were close to average, although it was colder in the south and more mild in the north. Rainfall was close to average (91%), although it was wetter in the east and drier in the north. It was sunnier than average, with 115% of the long-term average, particularly in the west. The highest temperature of the month was 18.7C at Braemar on the 17th, … [Read more]

March 2020 Report – A strange month indeed!

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March 2020 came in like a lion, with strong winds continuing to batter the country due to the proximity of low pressure systems. This was pretty much the theme of the winter, but at least the extreme wetness and flooding that we experienced in February abated. The month actually ended up being very dry when compared to the March average. Only 21.9mm of rain was recorded, the majority of which fell in the second week. The wettest day was the 11th; 7.1mm fell. By the end of the month the soggy ground had managed to dry out nicely from the … [Read more]

Monthly Report – March 2019

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March 2019 was another month of above average temperatures, with the monthly mean coming in at 7.2 degC, which is about 1.3 degrees above the long term average. The Maximum temperature was 17.1 degC on 29th, with the Minimum at 0.1 degC recorded on the morning of the 8th March. The rainfall total of 51.7mm fell mainly in the first half of the month, but was still about 20% above normal for March. The wettest day was 16th, with just over half an inch (13mm). This moderate total led to a rapid rise in the River Wear, which must have … [Read more]

Rapid Rise in The River Wear – 16th March 2019

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Heavy rain overnight on 16th March resulted in the River Wear rising to 2.36m just after 9pm. This was a rise of 1.8m in less than 12 hours. The river was a raging torrent, lapping over riverside paths. The river also carried lots of broken tree branches and wood downstream, snagging on bridges and the weirs further around ‘the loop’. My weather station in Gilesgate only recorded 13mm of rain on the 16th, so the rainfall must have been much heavier in the hills that feed the River Wear in the previous day. The River Wear has been much higher … [Read more]

Heavy snow in Durham – “The Beast from The East” March 2018

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An Easterly outbreak, dubbed “The Beast from The East” by the media, dumped a substantial amount of snow on us at the end of February and early March 2018. When such a weather synoptic occurs, we tend to get plastered in snow here on the North East Coast. Temperatures hover around zero and potent snow showers are readily blown inland, reaching Durham without too much trouble. Here’s a view across The River Wear from the path just as we emerged from Pelaw Wood. Snow was 8-12” deep in most places, squeaking under our boots as we walked down the track … [Read more]

90% Solar Eclipse – 20th March 2015

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A 90% Partial Solar Eclipse was visible in the North East in March 2015. There was a lot of cloud, but the eclipse could clearly be seen. The peak of the eclipse was around 9:30am. The main noticeable thing was a marked drop in temperature and the birds began to roost, thinking it was dusk. Here’s a video taken in Spennymoor, from the Durham Telly YouTube channel