March continued the mild start to the year, finishing significantly warmer than average, but with rainfall totalling only half of the long-term average.

  The month began on a slightly chilly and unsettled note, becoming milder, before high pressure then dominated the second half of the month. During that second half 'Spring sprung' with some fine, sunny and warm days and no rainfall during the 18-27th. The month then finished less settled and noticeably colder.

  Whilst there was the occasional night-time frost, more so during the 1st to 8th, ground frost remained fairly constant throughout the month; but it was an otherwise quiet month of weather with just a few flakes of snow on the last two days of the month, most of which fell overnight.

  The month opened with high pressure (HP) moving over the UK from the SW, but which had been replaced by low pressure on the 2nd. The 1st started with a frost and was sunny throughout, the 2nd being overcast with the odd bit of rain in the afternoon. With the LP becoming dominant on the 3rd and the associated fronts moving NE across the UK, a damp and grey morning was replaced by a a wet afternoon and evening (13.6 mm), the 3rd being the month's wettest day. After the 1st had just scraped into double figures, temperatures during the period up to the 5th were a little below average at just over 7°c.

  The rain continued overnight into the 4th, but which would improve as the day progressed with HP starting to nudge in from the west. That HP would linger over the northern half of the UK, becoming dominant for the next few days before migrating east on the 8th. The 5-8th were all dry and enjoyed decent sunny spells; the 7th started with a sharp frost of -4.3°c, but day-time temperatures recovered from a slightly chilly start to the period to be in double figures by the end.

  Low pressure would be the dominant driver of the weather during the 9-17th, although apart from the 11th (11.6 mm)y rainfall was fairly light. Each day would see a little rain at some point with sunshine being rare. Temperatures were above average both by day and especially at night.

  High pressure would now become dominant, virtually to the month's end, during which time we would enjoy some quality spring weather - the days were calm and enjoyed long sunny spells, day-time temperatures were significantly above average and it was dry, but ground frost was still a constant feature.

  On the 19th the HP would be over Denmark with a central pressure of 1050 MB (Cumbria 1044.4 MB) and then drift further east, before re-establishing itself over the UK on the 25th. Up to the 25th day-time temperatures had been well above average, but now the three days of 25-27th all went above 18°c in some lovely spring sunshine, the 25th the warmest of the three at 18.8°c (65.8°f).

  The fine weather broke on the 28th which saw bits 'n' bobs of rain, but a cold front to the north moved south during the 29-30th and behind it brought a plunge of cold Arctic air. Suddenly on the 30th a day-time maximum of just 4.6°c was recorded along with a few flakes of snow and it was only slightly warmer on the 31st. Overnight into the 31st a little snow had fallen to leave a cover of 1 cm, but which had melted come the observation hour of 1000 hrs.

  MSLP of 1022.8 Mb was +10.5 MB above the local average for the month and overall a mean minimum of 2.29°c and a mean maximum of 11.48°c saw the temperature 1.47°c above the thirteen year average for this site.

  It was the warmest March since 2017 and since 2009 when the record began, two have been warmer and eleven have been colder - the highest maximum temperature recorded during the month being 18.8°c (25th), the lowest minimum -4.3°c (7th).

  Rainfall of 46.0 mm (Maulds Meaburn North 42.0 mm -- Castlehowe Scar 67.4 mm) was 51.2% of average for 2008-21, making it the driest March since 2013. In a record that commenced in 2008, three have been drier and eleven have been wetter.

  During the month the following was recorded: snow fell on two days and hail fell on one - the wind speed averaged 4.87 mph, with a maximum gust of 41 mph (14th).

  We had 7 Air Frosts in the month (year 22)          --          Grass Frosts totalled 21 (year 62).

  The 1 foot soil temp ranged from a low of 4.5°c on the 8th        to      a high of 9.2°c on the 29-30th     --      with a monthly mean of 6.7°c

  The 1 meter soil temp ranged from a low of 6.3°c on the 10th      to      a high of 8.3°c on the 31st     --     with a monthly mean of 7.0#176c

    At the Met' Office site at Shap a mean minimum of 1.2°c and a mean maximum of 10.4°c saw the monthly mean temperature 1.15°c above the average and made it the warmest March since 2019 (which was also 5.8°c). In a record back to 1992 (one year missing), five have been warmer, twenty three colder and one was the same.

  Rainfall of 71.2 mm represents 50.4% of its average. It was the driest March since 2013 and in a record that commenced in 1989, five have been drier and twenty eight have been wetter.

  At Appleby in Westmorland rainfall of 34.0 mm represents 55.8% of its average (1857-2021) and made it the driest since 2013 - in a record that commenced in 1857, 36 have been drier, 128 have been wetter and one was the same.

  Across the county rainfall was well below average, typically around half of the expected value. There was a slight bias towards being slightly drier in the NW and E-SE corner of the county, but nothing too far away from the 50% of average - yet some sites in the south and south-west also finished with low percenatges as well: Coniston (40.2%), Brathay 41.3% and Barrow (40%).

  However, in the NW, Seaton (Workington) was down at 39% (yet St. Bees had 68.9%) - but it was Aisgill in that SE corner that really went low with just 23.6% of its average. As for the wettest location, the honour went to Brampton with 74.5% and only three other sites topped 60%.

  Figures from the Environment Agency’s rainfall sites were, (figure in brackets being the monthly average for 1961-90)   ‘Data kindly provided by the Hydrometry and Telemetry team of the Environment Agency (Penrith)’:

  Kirkby Thore 33.2 mm (50.5 mm)

  Haresceugh Castle (Kirkoswald) 36.58 mm (71.5 mm)

  Brothers Water 96.42 mm (213.2 mm)

  Orton (Shallowford) 55.0 mm (132.9 mm [average for 1967-2021]) - making it the driest since 2012 and since 1967 when the record commenced, 4 have been drier and 51 have been wetter.

  153.0 mm at Seathwaite Farm (Borrowdale - 261.0 mm [average for 1845-2021]) - making it the driest since 2018 and since 1845 when the record commenced, 43 have been drier and 134 have been wetter.