Royston (Iceni) Weather Station

Daily Weather Observations - March 2005

(All Times GMT)

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 1971/2000.

(*The differences from average quoted during the course of the month relate to the cumulative daily averages up to the date of the last observation, not the averages for the month as a whole)

Additional Data:

Rainfall Duration  34.1 hours

Air Frost Duration  49.3 hours

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 30 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 2005 Weather Review:

......and click on the link below for a text report of the March 2005 weather in Royston

March 2005 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" 3 (2003)

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)

The cold spell at the end of February 2005 spilled over into early March and snow fell on 4 out of the first 5 days of the month. There was a snow cover at the 0900 GMT observation hour on only 1 day (4th) only, however, and it was on this day (at 1045 GMT) that the above picture  was taken. This is the view from Lovers Walk looking northwards along the Hertfordshire Way towards Royston, about 1 km south of the town. After an overnight minimum temperature of -3.6°C it soon became milder and the snow thawed rapidly as the temperature climbed to a maximum of 6.5°C for the day. The wind at this time was of mean speed 6 knots gusting to 18 knots from a WSW direction; the temperature was 2.3°C.	Visitors from around the world visit the unique Royston Cave, a bell shaped chamber hewn in the chalk strata on which the town stands. It is thought to date from the early 1300's and to have been a meeting place for the Knights Templar, a religious and military order of 'warrior' monks based in Jerusalem. The floor plan resembles that of the Islamic shrine 'The Dome of the Rock', a building that was close to the Templar headquarters in Jerusalem. Research suggests that the Knights Templar most likely used the Cave for ritualistic purposes, notably initiation ceremonies. The lower cylindrical part of the Cave is decorated with an array of medieval carvings (click here to view some examples of these carvings).	Roundabouts on roads in and around Royston are mostly  decorated all year round with flowers whilst some of the larger ones additionally have shrubs and trees (the latter housing rabbit populations also!). This is the roundabout on the Royston to Huntingdon road (the old Roman thoroughfare Ermine Street) in the north of the town. It was pictured on 28th March 2005 at 1116 GMT when the weather conditions were grey and misty, with a temperature of 9.1°C and a WNW wind of mean speed 1 knot gusting to 6 knots. The cloud later cleared from the S to give a mainly sunny afternoon. The temperature then rose to a maximum of 13.2°C and a sunshine total of 5.1 hours was accumulated.

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(This page last updated 9th April 2005 1931 GMT)