03/04/2013

March 'Second Coldest' On Record

March was the second coldest month in the UK since records began, the Met Office has revealed.

The UK mean temperature for March was 2.2 °C, making it 3.3 °C below the 1981-2010 long-term average for the month.

March 2013 has now been confirmed as joint second coldest with March 1947. First is 1962, which had a mean temperature of 1.9 °C.

This year, March was also colder than December (3.8 °C), January (3.3 °C) and February (2.8 °C). The last time this occurred was 1975.

The average temperature during March in England was 2.6 °C, making it the second coldest on record, with only 1962 being colder at 2.3 °C.

In Wales, the mean temperature was 2.4 °C, which means this March also ranks as the second coldest on record there.

Scotland saw a mean temperature of 1.3 °C; joint fifth alongside 1916 and 1958. The coldest March on record for Scotland was set in 1947 (0.2 °C).

In Northern Ireland, March saw a mean temperature of 2.8 °C, making it joint second alongside 1919, 1937, and 1962. The record was set in 1947 (2.5 °C).

March 2013 was also drier than average, with 62.1mm of rain falling during the month. This was just 65% of the 95.1mm average.

Sunshine hours were also down, with 82.9 hours for the UK making only 81% of the average.

The Met Office says milder and more unsettled conditions are expected to continue throughout April.

(IT/CD)

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