Armagh Observatory, sixth April 2024: Armagh Observatory reviews that March was a lot wetter, quite hotter, and duller than common at Armagh.
For the second yr in a row March was unseasonably moist. March is often one of many 4 drier months of the yr at Armagh, that’s, February, March, April and Could, however this March noticed 107.95 mm (4.25 inches) of precipitation together with three hint values, or 107.8 mm if hint values are ignored. That is almost 95% greater than the 183-year long-term (1838– 2020) common March precipitation at Armagh (55.7 mm) and 82% greater than the newest (1991–2020) 30-year common (59.7 mm).
March 2024 is now the sixth wettest March on report at Armagh, that’s, since each day rainfall readings started on the Observatory in 1838. There may be some proof that March has turn into barely wetter at Armagh than in years previous, and that occasional very moist March days have turn into extra frequent.
The wettest day was the nineteenth with 19.4 mm (0.76 inches) of rainfall, adopted by 12.8 mm on the thirteenth and 10.1 mm on the twenty sixth.
Snow fell for some time through the afternoon of the twenty eighth. This was related to the passage of Storm Nelson, which had been named by the Spanish Meteorological Company, Aemet, and was the thirteenth named storm to have affected elements of the UK and Eire to some extent throughout this present 2023/2024 storm season. Whereas Storm Nelson battered Wales and the south of England that afternoon, it produced few noticeable results in Northern Eire besides two days of unusually low atmospheric strain for March.
Observations at 09:00 GMT on the twenty seventh recorded an atmospheric strain at Armagh of roughly 970.8 mbar decreased to imply sea stage, however these on the twenty eighth noticed 970.4 mbar. This was the bottom March atmospheric strain at Armagh for 16 years, that’s, since tenth March 2008 (959.4 mbar decreased to imply sea stage).
The climate this month was dominated by lower-than-average strain, offering a imply month-to-month common of roughly 1002 mbar decreased to imply sea stage. This worth, greater than 10 mbar beneath the 175-year long-term March common at Armagh, was the bottom month-to-month common March strain at Armagh for 43 years, that’s, since March 1981 (999 mbar). It was additionally the second or third lowest imply March strain at Armagh since calibrated information started round 1850.
Formally, the half-dozen lowest imply March pressures at Armagh are actually 1981 (999.1 mbar), 1947 (1001.6 mbar), 2024 (1002.0 mbar), 1876 (1002.3 mbar), 1903 (1002.4 mbar), and 1912 (1002.5 mbar), although instrumental and different uncertainties are most likely round 0.5 mbar.
Rainbows have been seen on the afternoons of the twenty second and twenty ninth, and showers with hail on the twenty second, twenty seventh, twenty ninth, and thirtieth. These on the afternoon of the thirtieth included bigger hailstones with diameters within the approximate vary 5 to 10 mm.
The common temperature this month, that’s, the imply of the each day maxima and minima, was 7.47 levels Celsius (45.5 F), almost 1.7 C hotter than the 225-year long-term (1796–2020) March common at Armagh of 5.82 C and roughly 0.7 C hotter than the newest (1991–2020) 30-year common (6.75 C). 5 of the final six years at Armagh have now had common March temperatures larger than 7.0 C.
The very best each day most air temperature was 14.5 C, seen on the seventeenth and thirty first, adopted by 13.6 C on the thirtieth. The seventeenth and thirty first have been the equal warmest days of the yr, that’s, since twenty third January 2024 (14.2 C). The seventeenth was additionally the mildest St Patrick’s Day at Armagh for 19 years, that’s, for the reason that boring however delicate seventeenth March 2005 (most temperature 15.2 C). The bottom most air temperature or coolest day was 6.4 C on the first, adopted by 6.7 C on the twenty sixth and 6.8 C on the tenth.
The very best minimal air temperature, often the warmest evening, was 8.5 C on the nineteenth adopted by 7.4 C on the thirteenth. The 2 lowest minimal air temperatures, or coolest nights, have been -1.9 C on the twenty ninth adopted by -1.0 C on the sixteenth. These have been the one two nights this month with night-time air frost.
There have been 14 nights with floor frost (minimal grass temperatures lower than or equal to zero Celsius) of which the three coldest have been -6.1 C on the sixteenth, adopted by -5.0 C on each the 2nd and twenty ninth.
With a complete of 92.9 hours of sturdy sunshine, this March was barely duller than common, with roughly 91% of the 140-year long-term (1881–2020) March common (102.4 hours) and 90% of the newest (1991–2020) 30-year common (103.0 hours). The sunniest day was the thirtieth with 9.8 hours of sturdy sunshine, adopted by the twenty second with 8.5 hours and the seventh with 8.0 hours.
These information consult with observations at Armagh Observatory, which has been recording the climate at Armagh since 1795.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Mark Bailey on the Armagh Observatory, School Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG. Tel.: 028-3752-2928; mark.bailey@armagh.ac.uk; URL:
