Whilst very sunny, for the first four days temperatures were average or below average, but this changed overnight on the 5th/6th when a very mild, moist, South-Westerly airstream became established over the UK and temperatures increased. There was a very mild spell and 62F was recorded on the 8th though there were strong winds during the early hours of the 9th.

The minimum temperatures for the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th were 49F, 47F, 50F, 48F and 47F. There was a fine, very sunny and mild weekend for the 11th and the 12th. However, there was then a cooler interlude between the 13th and the 17th as the South-Westerly reign was broken and temperatures became cooler, but another weekend with almost unbroken sunshine between the 18th and 19th occurred.

The weather continued to be mild and was fine and warm for the 22nd but a dramatic fall in temperature occurred for the 23rd when the maxima was 47F. This was when the settled spell of weather which had held from the 8th came to an end, as Atlantic fronts advanced from the west. Though the 26th was fine and sunny, a depression drifted eastwards for the next few days bringing colder weather from the North-East. Hail showers were recorded along with rain on the afternoon of the 27th. The maxima for the 28th was 43F, the lowest of the month. The 29th was overcast, dry and chilly but the 30th saw 11.4 hours of sunshine, the highest of the month. The final day was dry and quite mild

March 2000 was sunnier than average and had sunshine totals almost identical to last year's. It was as mild as March 1999 but was not as mild as March 1997 or March 1998. Since 1990 only 1996 has been a colder than average March. Rainfall was below average for the first time in a March since 1997 but it wasn't an outstandingly dry month.

Whilst milder than average, there were no very high temperatures recorded with temperatures at 68F or above. It was the month's consistent mildness that raised the overall mean temperature. Indeed, the temperature dropped below freezing point only twice during. Still there was no snow recorded in March this year.

Kevin Phillips - 9.15pm - Tuesday 4th April 2000.