[Ian Williams]

Previous date record is 21.7C which occurred at several "English" locations in 1953. Not sure it will get as warm in the south as yesterday. NW Wales, N.Ireland , Southern Scotland and Northern England all look good for a 20C or a 21C in any favoured spots, but i think the best bet today could be in Aberdeenshire/Grampian where 21C is possible and could it just push that record and turn it into a named Scottish location? May well do! Aboyne is my favoured location of the day - probably going to be well off the mark!

0400BST Temps look at Maggiligan! of N.Ireland

Magilligan (6 m)	14.3 °C
Portglenone (65 m)	13.0 °C
South Uist Range (4 m)	12.7 °C
Belfast/Aldergrove (AP) (68 m)	12.5 °C
Aberporth (134 m)	12.1 °C
Aberdaron (94 m)	12.1 °C
Aultbea (10 m)	12.1 °C
Skye/Lusa (18 m)	12.0 °C
St Angelo (47 m)	11.9 °C
Islay/Port Ellen (17 m)	11.5 °C

This post has been edited by Ian Williams: 26 March 2012 - 11:06

[Ian Williams]

0500BST Temps

Skye/Lusa (18 m)	15.1 °C
Magilligan (6 m)	14.2 °C
Stornoway (15 m)	12.5 °C
Belfast/Aldergrove (AP) (68 m)	12.4 °C
Aultbea (10 m)	12.3 °C
St Angelo (47 m)	12.2 °C
Benbecula (6 m)	12 °C
South Uist Range (4 m)	12.0 °C
Aberdaron (94 m)	11.6 °C
Aberporth (134 m)	11.6 °C

[BUTTERFLY]

It was a distinctly balmy 12 deg. C. on a roadside thermometer as I travelled to work at about 6.45 am this morning, which in view of the fact that the clcoks went an hour forward earlier in the night, is equivlent to the temperature at 5.45 am yesterday.

I think if Sunday (i.e. "Sun Day") can live up to its name today in Northern Ireland, today might reach 20 deg. C. somewhere (each of the 3 days from Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th started off bright in the morning, but clouded over in the afternoon) then Northern Ireland might reach 20 deg. C.; yesterday's maximum was 19.1 deg. C. at Derrylin Cornahoule, Co. Fermanagh (see http://www.metoffice...st_weather.html). The latter exceeds the 18.7 deg. C. at Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry, on 19th March 2005 (see http://www.metoffice...2005/march.html). I am not aware of 20 deg. C. being exceeded in March in Northern Ireland except in March 1965, when Armagh Observatory recorded 21.7 deg. C., although it is certainly possible that it was exceeded somewhere in 1 or more other Marches. The BBC Weather forecaster yesterday evening predicted the possibility of the Scottish March record being reached or exceeded this week; I think he said the record was around 22.2 deg. C. (presumably 72 deg. F.) although he didn't say when this occurred.

As the March temperature in Northern Ireland was 1.5 deg. C. above average for the period 1st to 23rd (see http://www.climate-uk.com/page2.html) there is no doubt that the month as a whole will be above average, possibly by more than 2 deg. C. which would make it among the mildest Marches recorded, perhaps since 1990 or even 1957. Although Northern Ireland hasn't suffered the degree of drought that has been recorded in parts of England, rainfall this month has been only 68% for the period 1st to 23rd and as it is predicted to be largely or completely dry for the rest of the month and may end up at around 50%. Most of the rain this month was in the first half; the same happened in Janaury and February. As sunshine, after a dull January and the 2nd dullest February on record, has been only 85% of the average for 1st to 23rd, if the last week is reasonably sunny, it could lift the value for the month to average or above, the first such month since November 2011 (October 2011 was also very dull).

[PJB]

Partial Thickness values are lower over England today vs Yesterday, temps down a degree or so over the SE'ern half of England, Highest Temps in Western Cornwall, Devon, West Wales & N Ireland. SCotland Temps much higher esp over NE Scotland. 20-21C range seems the likely high.

[Dave K]

Cool start here under cloud, 6.1 °C at 09z / 10 BST.

This post has been edited by Big Dave's Gusset: 25 March 2012 - 09:04

[Lightning Hunter]

A chilly start down here today. Down to 1.4°C at 0600 at Hurn.

[Dave W]

Yes a MUCH colder start for many than yeserday.. Stansted stil 3C at 09Z. However 15.2C at Porthmadog & Trawscoed.. some 3C up on yesterday at 09Z

[Dave W]

As far as i can see Skye is in the lead with 15.9C at 09Z though

[Dave W]

Several areas esp in the east & SE are stuck at 4C in low cloud & fog still .. which is chilly for 11am even in March - very different to the sunshine & warmth in other parts

Belfast today is a warm 16C on the other hand..

[Dave K]

Not quite as cold as elsewhere here, currently 9.3 °C ( max 10.1 °C). Cloud has broken to give sunny intervals

[Dave W]

Skye Lusa 17.9C at 10Z

Spare a thought for Bedford stuck at 3.8C though!

Stations: 183 Temp.Skye/Lusa (18 m)17.9 °CAltnaharra (80 m)17.4 °CAultbea (10 m)17.0 °CTrawscoed (62 m)16.5 °CRaf Mona (62 m)16.3 °CBelfast/Aldergrove (AP) (68 m)16.1 °CKeswick (81 m)16.1 °CValley (10 m)16.1 °C

[HSEA2]

Currently 7.9c with clearing skies.

Min: -1.1c

[Dave W]

Portmadog 18.9C at 1050Z

Lossiemouth up to 18.7C at 1050Z

A rise of 2.8C from this top figure would equal the date record

[PJB]

11Z Kinlochkewe 20.5C

[HSEA2]

I see buoy 62144 off the North Norfolk coast is registering just 3c...indeed only 10.9c here despite sunshine.

[HSEA2]

Also warm at Aberdeen and Aboyne...that area seems to have had a lot of mild days since the latter part of feb.

[Ian Williams]

Warmest places up North as expected, that said its beautiful here in Plymouth and across the Tamar into SE Cornwall, currently 18C

Top 10 warmest synop stations @ 1300BST

Aboyne (140 m)	20.8 °C
Keswick (81 m)	20.2 °C
Skye/Lusa (18 m)	19.3 °C
Aberdeen/Dyce (69 m)	19.1 °C
Magilligan (6 m)	18.9 °C
Altnaharra (80 m)	18.8 °C
Valley (10 m)	18.8 °C
Loch Glascanoch (264 m)	18.6 °C
Capel Curig (215 m)	18.6 °C
Redesdale Camp (212 m)	18.5 °C

Some climate stations @ 1300bst

Kinlochewe 20.8C
Fyvie Castle 19.9C
Drumnadrochit 19.5C
Craibstone 19.4C
Gogerddan 19.0C

[Howard Kirby]

Currently 16.7C in my garden

[Dave K]

13.2 °C here at 13z / 14 BST, well down on the last two days but still respectable for the end of March.

[Colin Ure]

Before today my 6 year maximum March temperature was 15.2C - this has been completely smashed - currently sitting at 19.5C and still climbing slowly - hoping for 20C by the end of the day !

Early morning mist has been replaced with wall to wall blue skies and very light winds - just hoping this is not our summer.