March is a month that we tend to expect to be rather spring-like but it can still pack quite a punch. We have all heard the expression ‘that it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb’. There is probably some truth in this but the reality is that the end of March can still be very unsettled indeed.

March 2004 was one such month that saw a very unsettled end to it. A  disturbed weather pattern ensued during the weekend of the 20th March 2004 as a mobile moist westerly flow covered the country. From mid month a stream of depressions had run north east, north of Scotland. By the 18th, as high pressure affected the south, it appeared that there might be a lull in the stormy weather. The quieter period was short lived however, as by the 19th a deep secondary low developed west of Ireland and then ran east across northern England. Wet and very windy weather spread across the UK with winds gusting up to 70 mph in places and parts of Wales, especially Capel Curig (Conwy), were wet; it recorded 35mm rainfall.

A further Depression developed to the west of Ireland early on the 20th and then ran across the north of England giving widespread gales to the south west, central and northern England and East Anglia, along with Wales. There were severe gales along exposed western coastlines and gales inland which caused problems as power transmission lines were brought down. At Aberdaron (Gwynedd) winds gusted as high as 100mph. The north west in particular saw disruption to both road and rail networks. At Uttoxeter (Staffs) racecourse the meeting was cancelled after a marquee was lifted into the air, and league football games at Stoke and Burnley had to be postponed on safety grounds due to the daytime gales.

 

During the afternoon, the area of strongest winds transferred eastwards wreaking further chaos as it did so. The air actually dried out as it crossed the country so that by the time it reached East Anglia it was quite dry allowing

temperatures to rise despite the strong winds; Coningsby (Lincs) managed to reach 17C. The dry air however then helped lift soil and so reduced Visibility. This effect, known as a ‘Fen Blow’ may lead to heavy soil loss and be disastrous for farmers. Lakenheath (Suffolk), among other stations reported widespread dust.

 

Such events are not uncommon at the end of March in fact and show us that there can often be life in the ‘lion’ right through to the very end of the month.