Royston (Iceni) Weather Station

Daily Weather Observations - March 2003

(All Times GMT)

Additional Data:

Rainfall Duration  14.7 hours

Air Frost Duration  29.3 hours

Differences from average:

Differences from average shown in red. Reference periods used are as follows: Temperature 30 Years 1973/2002; rainfall 30 Years 1971/2000; sunshine 30 Years 1961/1990.

Graphs and Charts:

Click on the following links to view this month's graphs and charts.....

1. Daily Maximum, Minimum & Grass Minimum Temperatures 

2. Daily Maximum & Minimum Temperatures (with 25 Year Comparative Means) 

3. Daily Earth (30 cms Depth) Temperature @ 0900 GMT  4.  Daily Rainfall  5.  Daily Sunshine

6. Daily Maximum Gust & Mean Wind Speed   7. Daily Wind Direction @ 0900 GMT  

8.  Daily Mean MSL Air Pressure  9.  Daily Mean Relative Humidity  10.  Thermograph 

11 . Barograph  12.   Hygrograph  13.  Anemograph   14. Wind Direction

15. Sunshine Duration  16.  Rainfall Intensity & Duration

March 2003 Weather Review:

......and click on the link below for a text report of the March 2003 weather in Royston

March 2003 Weather Review

March (since 1973) at Royston (Iceni) Weather Station:

Mean day maximum temperature (30 years 1973/2002) 10.1°C

Mean night minimum temperature (30 years 1973/2002) 3.3°C

Highest temperature 21.6°C (17th March 1990); lowest temperature -6.6°C (3rd March 1986)

Lowest grass minimum temperature -13.7°C (3rd March 1986)

Warmest March 1997 (Mean temperature 9.1°C); coldest March 1987 (Mean temperature 4.3°C)

Average March rainfall (30 years 1971/2000) 42.5 mm

Wettest March 1979 (Rainfall 97.8 mm); driest March 1997 (Rainfall 8.1 mm)

Wettest Day 2nd March 1995 (Rainfall 30.1 mm);

Highest number of "rain days" (0.2 mm or more) 25 (1981); lowest number of "rain days" 5 (1990)

Highest number of days with thunder 2 (1986, 1995)

Highest number of air frosts 15 (1987)

Highest number of ground frosts 21 (1987)

Highest number of days with snow falling 11 (1979)

Highest number of days with snow lying (ground with more than 50% snow cover @ 0900 GMT) 4 (1986)

This is a view in the University Botanic Garden, Cambridge on 25th March 2003 at 1237 GMT. The Botanic Garden, which is 21 km NE of Royston and experiences a very similar climate, is a major arboretum for eastern England and also has about 8000 different  specimens of plant. It was established on its present site in 1846 and a new east side was developed over a century later in 1953. On the day of the photograph bright sunshine predominated with 9.4 hours sunshine being recorded at Royston. The day maximum temperature at Royston reached 16.0°C after an overnight minimum of 6.5°C.	The daffodils around the Town Hall in Royston have given a splendid display again this year. This photograph was taken in very dull conditions on 29th March 2003 at 1434 GMT and shows an eastward looking view across the Melbourn Road. The temperature is 10.9°C (day maximum temperature 11.7°C) with a light air from the NE. This day was unusual in that it was the only day in March with NIL sunshine in what was an exceptionally sunny month. Sunny conditions returned the next day with 11.6 hours sunshine, whilst 31st March was even sunnier with a total of 12.4 hours. The month's total sunshine of 198.0 hours was 183% of normal.	As might be expected in a month of very high sunshine as described in the narrative accompanying the adjacent photograph, March 2003 was also dry, particularly so from 12th onwards when no rainfall at all was recorded until the end of the month. This recently ploughed and rolled field at Lowerfield some 3 km SE of Royston as seen at 0835 GMT on 31st March 2003 is showing the effects of the current drought, the chalk soil turning particularly light in colour in the dry conditions. The temperature is 7.7°C after an overnight minimum of 1.9°C, whilst a light NE breeze of mean speed 1 knot, gusting to 4 knots, is drifting across the landscape.

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(This page last updated 7th April 2003 2014 GMT)