PITSFORD HALL WEATHER STATION
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM

MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT - MARCH 2001

Monthly Assessment

March 2001 was a particularly cold and wet month in Northampton. 
Rainfall was substantially above average. The total of 84.1mm 
representing 186.9% of the 1971-2000 average. In fact this was 
Northampton's wettest March since 1979. It was also a particularly 
cold month with mean temperatures over 2C below the long-term 
average. 

March opened with a generally cold and dry period until the 6th. 
Winds were generally light, especially on the 4th and 5th, and 
some very low night-time temperatures were recorded. The 
precipitation that was recorded was in the form of snow which 
fell on the 1st and 2nd, lying on the ground until the 3rd. 
Some reasonable sunshine was also recorded in this period with 
7.5hrs being noted on the 5th.

The period until the 13th saw low pressure affecting the weather. 
The 6th was paricularly wet and bands of rain produced substantial 
falls on the 11th and 12th. Temperatures having recovered from the 
cold spell at the beginning of the month began to tumble from the 
10th. As this low pressure pushed away north-eastwards, a further 
low came into play. This produced generally wet weather across 
southern counties of England, although on the 16th and 17th 
fronts associated with this low pushed northwards and, on meeting 
the cold air, brought further snow and then heavy rain to the 
county. A milder spell of weather then followed with temperatures 
recovering steadily until the 24th, although not before a further 
front moving up from the south brought snow and heavy rain on the 
20th and 21st.

The recovery to milder conditions was interupted between the 24th 
and 26th as the winds swung round to a generally easterly direction 
bringing some chilly nights, although the county escaped the ground 
frosts prevalent throughout so much of the preceding weeks.

The month ended with another low pressure system tracking through 
the region. Substantial rain again fell on the 27th. However, 
the general recovery of temperatures continued culminating in 
the daytime maximum for March (15.9C) falling on the 31st.


Climatological Statistics - March 2001

Air Temperatures				
The Highest Maximum: 15.9C on 31st
The Lowest Maximum: 1.6C on 2nd
The Highest Minimum: 7.9C on 10th
The Lowest Minimum: -8.2C on 18th

The Mean Maximum: 8.6C
The Mean Minimum: 0.9C 
The Overall Mean: 4.8C
Difference from the Monthly Mean: -2.4C
				
Relative Humidity:				
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 100% on 14th, 24th
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 69.2% on 19th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 92.7%
    
Dew Point:				
The Highest Dew Point (at 0900): 10.6C on 7th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): -3.0C on 3rd
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 3.6C
				
Rainfall:				
Total: 84.1mm
Difference from the Monthly Mean: 186.9% 
Duration: 62.6hrs
Highest 24-hour fall (from 0900): 10.7mm on 20th
Rain Days (>/=0.2mm): 20
Wet Days (>/=1.0mm): 16
Lowest pH: 5.27 on 20th
			
Sunshine:				
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 86.5hrs
Sunniest day: 7.7hrs on 14th
Sunless days: 8
Cloud cover (mean at 0900): 6.2 oktas (77.5%)
				
Pressure (reduced to sea level):				
The Highest Pressure: 1018.6mb on 5th
The Lowest Pressure: 989.8mb on 28th
Mean Pressure (recorded at 0900): 1003.7mb
		
Winds:				
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 118.8 miles  
Mean daily wind speed: 6.4mph
Highest 24-hour Wind Speed: 12.7mph on 16th  
Run of wind (to date): 3683.88 miles
Highest Maximum Gust: 39mph on 16th
Highest wind strength (at 0900): 16.1mph on 31st
Mean wind strength (at 0900): 8.8mph
		
Winds from the Following Directions:				
N 7, NE 5, E 3, SE 4, S 6, SW 1, W 2, NW 1, Calm 2	
		
				
Ground Temperatures:			 	
Lowest Grass Minimum: -10.9C on 5th
Mean Grass Minimum: -1.6C
Lowest Concrete Minimum: -7.7C on 18th
Mean Concrete Minimum: 0.8C
Lowest Bare Earth Minimum: -6.8C on 18th
Mean Bare Earth Minimum: 1.1C
				
Soil/Earth Temperatures:		 		
5cm mean: 3.6C  
10cm mean: 3.9C  
20cm mean: 4.4C  
30cm mean: 5.1C  
40cm mean: 5.3C  
50cm mean: 5.6C  
100cm mean: 5.5C* 
	
*Mean calculated over the period 1st-24th March. The 100cm 
thermometer suffered damage on 25th March and is scheduled 
for replacement in early April.
		
Days with:				
Thunder: 0
Hail less than 0.5mm: 1: 12th
Hail greater than/equal to 0.5mm: 0   
Snow or snow & rain: 4: 1st, 2nd, 17th & 21st
Snow lying: 6
Fog: 3
Air Frost: 11
Duration of Air Frost: 65 hours
Ground Frost: 19

Evaporation: 

To be reinstated on 1st May 2001.
				
Observations made at 0900 UTC. Averages refer to the
period 1971-2000.




Data in this weather report is the copyright material of
Pitsford Hall weather station, Northamptonshire Grammar
School. Permission to use this data commercially must
be sought from the station manager.