PITSFORD HALL WEATHER STATION
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM

MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT - MARCH 2003

Headline: A dry month with less than 65% of the average 
rainfall falling within the first week. Mostly anticyclonic, 
mild and sunny.


March opened on an unsettled note. The first week was 
generally unsettled with spells of rain. A slow moving
 cold front gave a particularly wet day on the 5th with 
16.3mm falling over 12 hours. Despite the unsettled 
conditions, some sunny days were experienced on the 2nd 
and 6th, and temperatures were generally mild for the 
time of year.

A spell of windy weather ensued from the 7th as vigorous 
depressions tracked to the north-west. A maximum gust of 
42mph was recorded on the 7th and wind speeds reached the 
mid to high 30's until at least the 12th.  Despite the 
4.4mm recorded on the 7th, a dry period commenced until 
the end of the month, interrupted only by trace totals 
on the 9th and 10th and 0.4mm on the 11th. Mean 
temperatures also rose, augmented particularly by some 
mild nights on the 9th, 10th and 11th.

The weather from the 12th through to the 19th was 
influenced by anticyclonic conditions. High pressure 
remained fixed over the North Sea. Although temperatures
 reached respectable values by day with prolonged 
sunshine following some early morning mist and fog, 
overnight temperatures fell dramatically with a return 
to air frosts absent from the first half of the month. 
The frost and early morning fog were further encouraged 
by a drop in wind speeds to a low of 2.6mph (24-hr mean) 
on the 18th.

Anticyclonic conditions persisted through to the 27th, 
although from the 20th the centre of the high had begun 
to migrate towards eastern Europe. It became quite warm 
by day with a high of 18.3C recorded on the 23rd. Some 
good sunshine totals were also recorded.  Clear skies 
by night led to inevitable frosts, although from the 
24th overnight temperatures began to recover. 

The high pressure gave way to some weak frontal systems 
on the 28th and 29th before re-establishing itself on the 
30th. The county remained dry, albeit cloudy, maintaining  
'drought' conditions which began in the county on the 12th. 
March exited on a positively spring-like theme with a 
couple of warm and sunny days.



Air Temperatures				
The Highest Maximum:			18.3C	on	23rd
The Lowest Maximum:			6.5C	on	13th
The Highest Minimum:			7.6C	on	5th
The Lowest Minimum:			-3.2C	on	19th
The Mean Maximum:			12.2C		
The Mean Minimum:			2.4C		
The Overall Mean:			7.3C		
Difference from the Monthly Mean:	0.1C		
				
Relative Humidity:				
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900):	98.7%	on	5th
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900):	66.0%	on	19th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900):	89.7%		
				
Dew Point:				
The Highest Dew Point (at 0900):	9.0C	on	5th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900):		-3.7C	on	19th
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900):		4.5C		
				
Rainfall:				
Total:					29.1mm		
Difference from the Monthly Mean:	64.6%		
Duration:				19.4hrs		
Highest 24 hour fall (from 0900):	16.3mm	on	5th
Rain Days (>/=0.2mm):			6			
Wet Days (>/=1.0mm):			4			
				
Sunshine:				
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine:	144.0hrs		
Sunniest day:				8.8hrs	on	17th & 18th
Sunless days:				3
Cloud cover (mean at 0900):		5.2oktas (65%)	
				
Pressure (reduced to sea level):				
The Highest Pressure:			1039.5mb on	13th
The Lowest Pressure:			1009.4mb on	5th
Mean Pressure (recorded at 0900):	1022.7mb		
				
Winds				
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs):		125.3miles		
Mean daily wind speed:			6.8mph	
Highest daily wind speed:		18.2mph on 	10th	
Run of wind (to date):			3885.7miles		
Highest Maximum Gust:			42mph	on	7th
Highest wind strength (at 0900):	27.7mph	on	10th
Mean wind strength (at 0900):		8.6mph		
				
Winds from the Following Directions:				

N 2 NE 7 E 2 SE 3 S 8 SW 0 W 1 NW 7 Calm 1		
				
Ground Temperatures:			 	
Lowest Grass Minimum:			-5.4C	on	19th
Mean Grass Minimum:			-0.8C		
Lowest Concrete Minimum:		-3.6C	on	19th
Mean Concrete Minimum:			1.4C		
Lowest Bare Earth Minimum:		-2.6C	on	19th
Mean Bare Earth Minimum:		1.4C		
				
Soil/Earth Temperatures:		 		
Surface mean:				6.3C		
5cm mean:				4.8C		
10cm mean:				5.2C		
20cm mean:				6.2C		
30cm mean:				6.4C		
40cm mean:				6.2C		
50cm mean:				6.5C		
100cm mean:				5.9C		
				
				
Days with:				
Thunder:				0			
Hail less than 0.5mm:			0			
Hail greater than/equal to 0.5mm:	0			
Snow or snow & rain:			0			
Fog					6	
Air Frost:				5
Duration of Air Frost:			6hrs
Ground Frost:				23
				
			
Total Evaporation (tank)		45.45mm