Llansadwrn (Anglesey) Weather Diary 2008

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Times are GMT (UTC, Z). Observations at this station [ ] are 24-h 09-09 GMT, some others { } occasionally refer to other 24-h periods, extremes (first indications) are given in bold. When averages are referred to (.) compares with the last decade and [.] with the 30-y climatological average [currently 1971 - 2000]. All data are subject to verification and amendment.

January

1st: The year began with an overcast sky and a temperature of 9.5C, dewpoint 7.9C. Pressure was 1020 mb with high 1051 mb N Finland and complex Atlantic-lows 992 mb W of Ireland. We were in a moderate to strong S'ly airflow with a little early drizzle around coasts. It was a dry day here and was a little brighter in the afternoon as the cloud thinned, but the day was sunless. During the evening the wind backed SE'ly and there was a little broken cloud with one or two standing-waves over the weather station around 21 GMT. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.5C; Min 8.0C; Grass 6.9C]
2nd: A very complex cloudscape at 09 GMT, the result of an ESE'ly wind breaking up the cloud in the lee of the mountains, light at first freshening to force 3/4 by 1130 GMT. Pressure was 1014 mb between intensifying high 1061 mb over Russia, SE of the White Sea and low 968 mb was mid-Atlantic to the W. The result - a cool airflow from SE Europe. The Met Office had issued severe weather warnings of low temperatures and heavy snow for eastern parts of Britain, particularly NE Scotland, the midlands and SE England. Wales had the best of the day with broken cloud, some sunshine and the temperature here reaching 7.3C as the sky cleared some more during the afternoon. Just before sunset there were some fine lenticular clouds to the S and looking to the SW into the setting sun more lenticular, contrails and standing-wave clouds looking dark against the blue of the sky (photo above right). During the evening and night the force 3/4 E'ly wind strengthened to force 6/7 and roared in the trees throughout the night. [Valley 3.0h] [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 7.3C; Min 3.0C; Grass -1.0C]
3rd: A fine and bright morning with the 2 oktas cover of cumulus over the Snowdonia Mountains and altocumulus lenticularis diminishing to give a sunny day. Pressure 1002 mb had fallen slowly as low 980 mb approached Brest and the SW Approaches, while the Russian high peaked at 1063 mb. We still had the E'ly wind force 5. The temperature at 09 GMT was -0.3C with a dewpoint of -3.7C; there was a good chance of any precipitation falling as snow, but was unlikely without clouds! A look out was kept for ice crystals, that can fall from a blue sky, but again no luck here either. There was a little white frost in grass hollows, but no thick frost on windscreens this morning. The brisk continental airflow was drier (78% relative humidity) during the December cold spell. The temperature struggled to reach 1.6C, lowest in daytime in the month, before falling away as the wind moderated before the end of the afternoon when there was frost on the grass with an air temperature of -0.5C. The day's maximum of 2.5C recorded at 09 GMT on the 4th was lowest of the month. There was a band of showers to the NW of here producing snow in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Snow showers were reported also in the Isle of Man. Lying snow was reported in several places, but not the heavy amounts that were forecast. During the evening cloud encroached and the temperature had risen to 0.3C by 2200 GMT. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 2.5C; Min -0.3C; Grass -2.3C]
4th: During the night the wind veered S'ly and a narrow line of showers approached Anglesey from the W; RAF Valley reported light snow at midnight and 05 GMT. Progress was slow eastward, but some precipitation reached here at 0645 GMT as unusually small c. 1 mm diameter clear hard diamond-like ice pellets (see photo), falling to earth with a soft tinkling sound similar snow grains. The pellets were too small to leave an impression on the hailometer. The 24-h minimum of -0.5C was lowest of the month, but the temperature at the time was 1.0C and rising to reach 2.5C, dewpoint 1.2C, at 0900 GMT the maximum of the past 24-h. The amount of precipitation was only 0.2 mm, but there was a sparse covering left melting on bare soil that could have been mistaken for snow. There was a sprinkling of snow seen around the summits of Carnedd Llewelyn and Foel-grach just before cloud obscured the summits. Pressure 997 mb was falling with the Russian high declining 1059 mb near St Petersburg and lows moving in rapidly from the west. The cloud thickened during the morning; there was drizzle by 1300 GMT and rain, as the squally wind strengthened to strong to gale force 8 just before 1500 GMT, as the Oregon storm alarm sounded as pressure dropped quickly to 985 mb. Rain and wind had moderated by 1700 GMT. The day was sunless, but there were some clear spells during the evening between frequent showers. At 2138 GMT there was a heavy shower of rain and 4-5 mm ice pellets followed by more rain showers. [Rain 4.2 mm; Max 7.7C; Min -0.5C; Grass -3.4C]
5th: There was a light shower with small ice pellets about 0530 GMT, then with slowly clearing sky dry up to 09 GMT. Pressure 991 mb was rising although low 966 mb seemed anchored off NW Scotland. High 1053 mb seems to be staying put near St Petersburg. We were in a blustery force 4/5 WSW'ly airstream giving us a temperature of 6.0C, dewpoint 2.9C. There was a lot of cloud hugging the mountaintops where temperatures have mostly precluded much in the way of winter snow. Elsewhere, including N Ireland, Cumbria and Scotland, there have been significant snowfalls of 10 cm, or more, in parts. On Helvellyn, in the Lake District, snowfall was such that risk of avalanche was reported as high and people, even experienced, have been advised to give it a miss this weekend. The morning was only bright at times with odd glimpses of weak sunshine. The afternoon was cloudier, but did brighten again later when there was some weak sunshine before sunset. The evening and night had clearing skies. [Rain trace dew; Max 6.6C; Min 2.5C; Grass 1.3C]
6th: With almost clear skies moisture and dew had frozen white on the grass with the minimum thermometer own to -2.3C. When reset at 09 GMT it read -1.8C. The sun was somewhat delayed appearing over the Carneddau as there was a line of stratocumulus and 1 or 2 towering cumulus clouds obscuring its appearance. The frost on the grass was slow to thaw as the morning became cloudier. Pressure was 1007 mb and a deep low 994 mb 100 miles W of Shannon was one to watch. The NOAA 18 satellite image captured at 1316 GMT shows the developing low tracking towards the Irish Sea. The afternoon had some variable cloud, but there was some sunshine as the light SW'ly wind backed SE'ly. During the evening pressure was falling and my Oregon storm alarm sounded just before 2100 GMT as pressure 992 mb was falling rapidly with the low 989 mb over NW Ireland. Before midnight the SW'ly was force 6/7. [Valley 2.4 h] [Rain 4.6 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 2.6C; Grass -2.3C]
7th: It got very rough after midnight. At 0100 GMT the low was 988 mb over the North Channel and the wind was up to gale force 8/9 and only began to moderate after 0400 GMT. Twigs and empty beech nut cases blown off the trees were hitting windows and slate roof; everything was well battened down in the garden, but the wheelie bin was blown over! Around 0315 GMT there was rain and ice pellets. It was a lot quieter by 09 GMT with some blue patches, just as well as it was the morning for changing charts in the autographic recorders! There was no overnight frost, the -1.8C of the grass minimum was the reset reading at 09 GMT yesterday. My record is over 24-h, but I reset the thermometer during the evening if there is no frost to check on conditions overnight. Pressure 1004 mb had risen with our low 988 mb over the North Sea off NE England. The morning had some bright spells and slight showers of rain; these were falling as snow around the summits of the Snowdonia Mountains, where there was a slight covering above 2900 ft. The afternoon had some sunshine, but in the breeze it felt chilly as the temperature rose to just 7.1C. By the end of the afternoon there was more cloud and the sunset was a diffuse yellow colour. The evening was overcast, hooting and screeching tawny owls were about in the trees at 2100 GMT, I think my torch disturbs them and they protest, and I sometimes have close encounters with them as I go to the screen. [Rain 6.9 mm; Max 7.1C; Min 2.6C; Grass -1.8C]
8th: There was light to moderate rain from 0300 GMT that faded out between 07 and 08 GMT. At 09 GMT were were in a somewhat clearer slot between rain bands. A buzzard was closeby and a regular robin and female blackbird waiting for some titbits. The robin is quite tame and will go into the 'weather shed' if given a chance. Pressure 1004 mb was falling with a frontal wave passing over Wales. Complex low-pressure was persisting to the NW with low 972 mb SW Iceland and high 1030 mb N Italy and the Med. We were in a strong unstable S/SW'ly airflow; it was not long before the initial brightness gave way to moderately heavy showers of rain containing a few ice pellets, with snow over the mainland mountaintops. At noon a developing low W of Ireland was 976 mb. During the afternoon the S'ly wind strengthened to severe gale force 8/9 by 1600 GMT with bursts of moderate rain. In Beaumaris people were having difficulty walking along Church Street in the wind and near horizontal rain. An old sea dog, used to being on supply vessels in the North Sea was heard muttering outside the Post Office that 'it was as bad as being at sea'. Suddenly, at 1810 GMT there was a squall with a violent shower of rain and ice pellets (2 to 6 mm) lasting under 8 minutes (7.5 mm, a rate of over 56 mm per hour) on a cold front (see thin red line on rainfall radar - graphic above), the temperature dropping rapidly by 6.8C . In the garden 2 large pots containing 5 ft tall bay trees were blown over and a garden table lifted in the air and parts scattered around. The AWS at Clogwyn on Snowdon recorded gusts of 112 mph at 1730 GMT and 102 mph at 1800 GMT (data courtesy of FirstHydro). Rather belatedly at 1859 GMT, the Met Office issued on their website a severe weather warning of gales (40% chance of disruption) for Anglesey valid from 1859 to 1905 GMT! It was going to be another rough night, or was it! As the front moved eastward there were several reports of sudden hail showers, some accompanied by thunder and lightning. The wind was not quite as strong during the evening, strong to gale-force 8, and slowly moderating. [Rain 13.1 mm; Max 9.8C; Min 4.5C; Grass 0.9C]
9th: After midnight the wind kept below gale force here, but was slow to moderate further. The cold front mad rapid progress SE and cleared the Kent coast at 0200 GMT. By morning it was bright with some patches of blue and moderately high cloud with some convective clouds to the S. Pressure was 1001 mb and rising slowly with the low 968 mb sailing past Fair Isle, N Scotland. Conditions further north were atrocious, winds were strongest in Scotland where 20,000 homes were without electricity supply at one stage; and conditions too bad for repair crews to be sent out to 7000 still without power. Ferry and rail services were disrupted. The Forth Bridge was even closed (unusual) for more than 8 hours, Tay Bridge closed to high-sided vehicles, many trees blown over, houses and cars damaged, as well as vehicles with 5 lorries overturning on the M74 alone and more on the M9. The university Seabraes student flats in Dundee had to be evacuated when the extreme winds blew off part of the roof. There was a little more snow on the Snowdonia Mountains, as low as 1200 ft in the passes of Nant Ffrancon and Llanberis. The morning was dry, although it was still breezy the SW'ly force 5, with variable cloud amounts and a little sunshine at times. The first flowers of snowdrops were appearing in the garden. There were showers S of Snowdonia from mid to South Wales. The afternoon was cloudier with cloud encroaching and light rain reaching the west by 1600 GMT and here soon after 1700 GMT. Rain turned heavy during the evening and the S'ly wind freshened to gale force 8 by 2000 GMT. A gust of 120 mph was reported by the Clogwyn AWS at 2526 ft on Snowdon at 1930 GMT. Embedded in the continuous rain there were pockets of intense rain tracking NE along the Menai Strait and over NW England (see 'red spots' on radar graphic below). We caught one about 2315 GMT there was very heavy rain and ice pellets accumulating >10 mm in minutes falling at a rate of >50 mm per hour. (In the hour up to midnight the Llyn Llydaw AWS recorded 12.7 mm). On already water-saturated ground rain led to flash runoff. [Llyn Llydaw, Snowdon 102.3 mm, Valley 22.0 mm] [Rain 48.8 mm; Max 9.2C; Min 3.0C; Grass 0.5 C]
10th: Severe gales and heavy rain over Snowdonia and Anglesey overnight brought several reports of flooding. There was plenty of water standing around the weather station, a small stream was running across the garden and along the road outside. Several local roads were partially flooded, including the Britannia roundabout in Menai Bridge. The Gazelle Hotel, between Menai Bridge and Beaumaris, was flooded out again having just finished repairs of the last flood on 21 September 2007. The A4086 road in Nant Peris was closed and here, and Bethesda on the A5, cars were caught in flood water. The A55 between St Asaph and Abergele was closed westward for over 5 h causing traffic chaos for commuters. Electricity supply was disrupted to several areas on Anglesey and there were problems on the railway due to water on the track at Gaerwen. Flooding was widespread in North Wales; at Talysarn near Caernarfon there was 3 ft of water while the A299 in Pwllheli was flooded. With spring tides, and a tidal surge of about 0.5 m at the mouth of the Conwy at midnight (data courtesy of Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory) runoff water from the mountains flowing down the river was held back. There was flooding in Llanwrst, where the River Conwy was overflowing, and villages along its length to it's mouth at Conwy. With the next high tide, with even more runoff water arriving in the river, was at noon and with a surge of 0.6 m more flooding could be expected, but no more problems were reported. A low developing W of Ireland was responsible bringing complex fronts and warm frontal-wave across North Wales and a large area of slow-moving rain. Obs precisely at 0900 GMT were done in a S'ly gale and driving rain; 48.8 mm of rain was measured for the past 24-h, the observer getting wet! It was the largest fall recorded at this station in January and third largest of any month. It was very wet in Snowdonia, at Llyn Llydaw, Snowdon 102.3 mm of rain was recorded during the same period [ECN AWS, data courtesy of CCW]. In the 48-h to 06 GMT Llyn Llydaw accumulated 118 mm, Capel Curig 101 mm and Llansadwrn 60 mm. Winds over the mountains were severe, Capel Curig reported mean wind speeds of over 50 mph (force 9) while on Snowdon the AWS at Clogwyn (courtesy of FirstHydro) gusts of 114 mph were recorded. Rain and wind began to slacken by 10 GMT and one or two patches of blue sky appeared briefly overhead before noon. As the cloud thinned and lifted there were glimpses of sunshine and views of the Snowdonia summits revealing little remaining snow. The sky cleared during the evening and there was a touch of ground frost. {Capel Curig 87.6 mm} [Rain 2.8 mm; Max 9.2C; Min 3.9C; Grass 2.2C]
11th: A quieter night some clear sky at first, but overcast with moderately high altostratus clouds. Visibility was good and there was a fresh sprinkling of snow around the summits of the Snowdonia Mountains, particularly Carnedd Dafydd and Snowdon. Pressure 993 mb was falling within a slack area of low-pressure in a most unsettled looking chart, the most significant being the low 987 mb near Brest, Brittany. Rain within its circulation was falling over South Wales and S England moving N only slowly. The Atlantic is the place to watch for here and another blow is expected soon as a low makes its way across from S of Greenland. The NOAA 18 satellite image shows the low near Brittany with cloud affecting S Britain. Ireland had clear skies and to the west there was a large area of marine convection. Further W is the developing low and cloud mass S of Greenland heading our way.. The temperature at 09 GMT was 2.9C with a dewpoint of 1.9C giving a 60% chance of ice precipitation if there were to be any, but the day kept dry and overcast until late afternoon. Cloud had been building S of the mountains and there was heavy rain, flooding and snow in southern England and South Wales. Trains to South Wales were disrupted because of flooding around Swindon, the M5 had problems as well as Bristol Airport where several flights were cancelled and passengers were stranded at Bristol Temple Meads station. Here we had a few small ice pellets (424 per m²) at 1620 GMT as some cumulus clouds moved across, and later a beautiful azure blue sky in the west as the sky started to clear - too late for any sunshine, but Valley on the north-west coast had 0.5 h though. The clear sky reached here after dark and there was ground frost. [Rain trace; Max 5.4C; Min 2.3C; Grass -1.2C]
12th: The air temperature went down to 0.0C before some cloud encroached and this prevented an air frost. The morning was bright on Anglesey with broken cloud, some convective cumulus in the vicinity, but cloud over the Snowdonia Mountains was slow to left from the 2000 ft level. Pressure 1004 mb was rising in the ridge crossing from the W, low 980 mb SW Iceland was posed in the wings for rapid entrance. The morning has some brief spells of sunshine with the temperature rising to 7.0C by noon; a pair of bullfinches was spotted going over blackcurrants and snowberry in the garden under my window. The afternoon , sunny at first with clearing skies even over the Snowdonia Mountains, soon turned overcast as the next as a warm front associated with the low swept in over the west. It was windier with the wind backed SE'ly force 5 and the temperature steady on 7.0C through the afternoon began to rise; there was rain from 1800 GMT through until just after 01 GMT. [Rain 3.8 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 0.0C; Grass -3.7C]
13th: The maximum temperature of 10.5C for the past 24-h was just before 09 GMT having risen slowly through the night. The S'ly wind was blowing force 7 to gale-force 8, but at least it was not raining! The rapidly moving low cloud was layered and it was just possible to see a few patches of blue sky, visibility towards the mountains was moderate. Pressure was 992 mb with the low 974 mb off NW Ireland and gales and gusts of wind over 55 mph continued into the afternoon, scattering garden furniture put in a sheltered corner, with rain at times from midmorning until after 22 GMT. New born lambs have been put into the field adjacent to the weather station and were looking rather miserable, although the maximum temperature of 10.9C was marginally the highest of the month. [Rain 8.2 mm; Max 10.9C; Min 3.7C; Grass 0.0C]
14th: Overcast, but showery rain from 08 GMT. Pressure was 983 mb with the low still to the NW 982 mb. Visibility was poor, but when the rain stopped about 10 GMT improved and breaks in the cloud appeared overhead by 1030 GMT, but they did not last very long. By afternoon the wind was freshening and there was slight rain at times. There was further light to moderate rain from 2130 to 0300 GMT. [Rain 14.8 mm; Max 8.6C; Min 6.1C; Grass 4.5C]
15th: The autographic raingauge did not record any rain between 03 and 06 GMT, but recorded slight rain turning to drizzle up to 09 GMT. The sky was overcast with moderately high mainly altostratus cloud with the mountain summits just visible. There was a little fresh snow. Pressure 977 mb was still falling slowly near the centre of low-pressure; there were strong S'ly winds along the S coast of England from Portsmouth to Dover. Here just a light SE'ly and by 11 GMT broken cloud and sunny spells. In the afternoon cloud encroached again and there was rain later. Gales and heavy rain were reported from Kent where Dover Harbour was closed for a time and there was flooding again in Tewkesbury and in parts of South Wales including Swansea and Neath Valleys, and Gower, mainly roads, but water entered some homes in Abergavenny. At 2008 GMT there was a heavy shower of rain and ice pellets, after a few lighter showers the sky began to clear and there was frost on the ground. [Rain 5.5 mm; Max 9.1C; Min 6.3C; Grass 4.2C]

The first 15 days of the month had 112.9 mm of rainfall 114% of average. The mean temperature was 5.6C this running just 0.1C above the decadal average, but 0.7C above the 30-y average.

16th: A bright morning with glimpses of sunshine. Water on the grass had frozen mostly clear, not white. Concrete paths, the road and windscreen were not frozen. Cloud was touching the mountain summits above 2600 ft, otherwise visibility was good although a little misty. Pressure 987 mb was rising within low-pressure centred over St. George's Channel. There was little or no wind and with partly clearing skies turned out to be quite a nice day. Snowdrops, that first appeared on the 9th, are well into opening their flowers (above) and there were a lot more lambs in the fields. Later in the afternoon the light SE'ly wind veered N'ly and convective cumulus clouds were moving across. Fog was seen blowing along the Menai Strait from the NE entrance and there was fog around the NW coast of the island. The evening turned cloudier and showery by 2000 GMT. [Rain 6.6 mm; Max 8.1C; Min 2.4C; Grass -1.6C]
17th: Overcast with ragged low clouds, some cumulonimbus in the vicinity, and heavy showers of rain led up to 09 GMT. The rising temperature 8.1C in the Stevenson Screen was the highest of the past 24-h. Visibility was poor and the S'ly wind force 5. There was water standing in puddles in muddy places and there was the semi-permanent pool of water on an adjacent field. There were a few brighter times with glimpses of sunshine between rain showers through the day as a ridge of high-pressure moved across from the west. [Rain 12.0 mm; Max 10.0C; Min 2.7C; Grass -0.6C]
18th: There was a spell of moderate rain between 0500 and 0700 GMT, accumulating 5.5 mm, becoming intermittent and slight leading up to 09 GMT. Rainfall for the month now 132 mm, [134%]. Pressure 999 mb was falling with the ridge of high-pressure moving E as low 977 mb to the NW approached. A warm front over the Irish Sea bringing the rain resulted in the temperature being 10.0C, highest of the past 24-h rising to 10.7C. The S'ly wind was force 7 at 09 GMT and was strong to gale-force at times during the day before moderating by evening. A dull 'lights-on-in-the-house' day. {Hawarden 14.1C} [Rain 7.1 mm; Max 10.7C; Min 6.1C; Grass 4.1C]
19th: A spell of light rain from midnight until 07 GMT then intermittent up to 09 GMT. Pressure 1015 mb was rising, but there were slow-moving fronts straddling Wales and there was little change during the morning. The afternoon was no better and the day was sunless; there was rain from 1500 to 2100 GMT. [Rain 9.5 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 8.8C; Grass 8.5C]
20th: Cloud was low enough to give hill fog here up to 09 GMT after which it began to lift. The waterlogged ground was muddy with standing water seeped away, but there was the usual pool in the middle of the field. Pressure 1015 mb was rising but of little consequence as light rain continued through the morning under slow-moving frontal cloud. Another very dull sunless day, but the first yellow and purple crocuses appeared to brighten the day. There was more rain from 1900 GMT until morning. It was very wet in the mountains of Snowdonia, in the past 72-h to 1800 GMT Capel Curig clocked up 148 mm of rain. [Rain 21.7 mm; Max 10.4C; Min 9.0C; Grass 8.4C]
21st: Much of the same with the barometer on 1004 mb falling again. A frontal-wave low 998 mb was over north Ireland and we were having showery rain at 09 GMT under uniform grey stratus cloud. Visibility was poor and the wind force 6/7 SSW'ly. Rainfall for the month had reached 169.8 mm, exceeding the 145 mm recorded in 2000 (the wettest year on record here), but so far only the 6th largest in January since 1928. At Llyn Llydaw, Snowdon, 537 mm had fallen [ECN AWS, data courtesy of CCW]. With the rain petering out there were some patches of blue sky overhead by noon, with some flashes of sunshine around 1300 GMT, before it turned cloudier. In Northern Ireland there was heavy rain and flooding, but in S Scotland and parts of N England moderate to heavy snowfall. As the low moved E across Britain colder air and showery precipitation was brought down from the N during the evening there was a little sleet, with snow in places above 1000 ft mainly on eastern mountains, before the sky cleared giving frost on the ground and icy roads in some untreated places. [Rain 0.6 mm; Max 10.3C; Min 9.4C; Grass 9.1C]
22nd: A bright start if you were up early, but soon cloudier with a red sky over the mountains from 0755 to 0815 GMT. By 09 GMT the sky was overcast with moderately high altostratus cloud. There was a sprinkling of snow above 2500 ft on the Carneddau Mountains, less if any in the west and around Snowdon. Pressure 1021 mb was rising in a minor ridge crossing from the W. The temperature was 3.2C with a dewpoint of 1.9C( indicating a 60% chance of ice precipitation if there were to be any). Temperatures were rising when thicker cloud encroached from the W during the morning with slight rain here from 1030 GMT (5.3C rising to 8.1C by afternoon). The afternoon was very dull, but there was not a lot of rain. There are now quite a lot of crocuses up in the garden, but they need some sunshine to look their best. There was light rain from 1600 to 2300 GMT, and windier. [Rain 3.5 mm; Max 10.6C; Min 1.6C; Grass -2.1C]
23rd: Overcast with uniform grey stratus and misty too with visibility poor. Pressure was 1019 mb with complex low-pressure to the NW up against high 1035 mb Iberia to Netherlands. Deep low 953 mb was S Greenland while frontal-waves were straddling N Britain in a moist warm SW'ly airflow. A light deposit of reddish-yellow Saharan dust was collected at 09 GMT having fallen about 06 GMT in drizzle. More drizzle and spots of rain containing dust during the morning on a moderate to strong SSW'ly wind. The house windows facing SW when drying were showing a light covering of dust. The afternoon continued very dull, almost dark and there was further rain from 1800 GMT, and a heavy fall of the reddish-yellow dust (MUNSELL® Color Chart 5YR 6.5/8). (Trajectory analysis (see right), using the HYSPLIT model at the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory, indicated that parcels of air arriving at between 250 and 3500 m over Llansadwrn at 18 GMT at the onset of the deposition). The MODIS TERRA satellite image (above left, courtesy of the Rapid response team at NASA/GFSC) shows dust being blown off the coasts of Western Sahara south of the Canary Islands at 1145 GMT on the 20th. Trajectories of parcels of air that arrived over Anglesey on the 23rd were in the area at this time and brought the dust). The rain and dust deposition petered out after 2300 GMT. [Rain 4.9 mm; Max 10.8C; Min 3.0C; Grass 1.6C]
24th: There was a shower of ice pellets (2-4 mm) at 0755 GMT. Soon after the sky started to clear and the temperature fell to 3.5C in the screen by 09 GMT. The heavy fall of Saharan dust was evident especially on the corner and bottom edge of the Stevenson screen (see left), any horizontal objects in the garden and my previously clean car. Dust was widespread over Wales (reports from Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Abergavenny) and southern England (Epping, Essex), although the heaviest falls were in the north. The sky cleared leaving cumulus over the Mountains of Snowdonia and a thin covering of hail on some of the eastern summits, there was no snow observed. Pressure 1023 mb was rising and it was a mostly sunny morning and sunny afternoon under clear skies. It was a breezy day with the SW'ly wind persistently around force 5. The temperature rose to 8.1C with relative humidity of 61% at 1400 GMT. It was a bright day with global solar radiation of 4.85 MJ per m². The evening and night were mostly clear with bright moonlight. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 8.8C; Min 3.5C; Grass 0.6C]
25th: An overcast morning, but a few breaks appeared here by noon. Pressure was 1030 mb with the high 1043 mb over France and lows to the N, 965 mb Denmark Strait (N Iceland) and 974 eastern Norwegian Sea. The SSW'ly wind was strong to gale-force at times and there were speed restrictions in force on the Britannia Bridge. The winds in the north and north-east of England led to 11 lorries being blown over in north Yorkshire closing the A1, Here it was dry, with cloud just touching the mountaintops that had gale-force winds; a few breaks in the cloud by noon gave a little sunshine in the afternoon. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.6C; Min 3.5C; Grass 1.1C]
26th: Overcast but with a good drying wind (force 4 SW'ly) both grass and concrete were surface dry at 09 GMT. The altostratus was moderately high and just touching the mountaintops, visibility was good although hazy with some dust still in the air. There was a little sunshine in the afternoon and if you cloud find a sheltered spot felt pleasantly mild in the 10.4C air temperature. {Aberporth 6.7h, Pershore 12.9C} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 10.4C; Min 7.8C; Grass 6.0C]
27th: Another overcast morning with dew on the grass and the condensation had made concrete damp. Pressure was 1032 mb with high-pressure 1037 mb Lands End and Brittany. Mostly dull, but a little sunshine in the afternoon and clearing sky later brought a sunny end to the day. Daffodils are in bud in the garden and I spotted the first bloom out in a hedgerow bank near the village, earliest out since 2005. Buds on honeysuckle and alpine clematis, always early, had opened over the few weeks. The evening and night were partly cloudy with some bright moonlight at times. {Aberporth 7.0h, Milford Haven 11.9C}[Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.8C; Min 6.6C; Grass 4.3C]
28th: Overcast with wavy moderately high cloud and a few breaks. The mistle thrush sang briefly at 0745 GMT, from his usual treetop position. I saw him yesterday surveying the scene and thought he might start soon. Later a bullfinch was taking buds from the plum tree in the garden. A pair of bullfinches are regular visitors to the garden at this time of year, we rarely see them at other times. The sun rose over the mountains and shone briefly leaving bright weather across the Straits from Bangor to Conwy. Pressure was steady on 1032 mb with the high 1039 mb France and Spain and low 961 mb was E of Iceland. The afternoon saw a few more sunny spells before the cloud thickened by 1600 GMT; the S'ly wind freshened during the evening. [Rain 0.3 mm; Max 10.1C; Min 5.5C; Grass 2.1C]
29th: A mild night with the temperature slowly rising to 10.1C in a moist warm air stream. There was a light shower of rain around 04 GMT. At 09 GMT pressure 1022 mb was falling as a frontal wave low 1018 mb moved across the Irish Sea had brought rain to NW Ireland and W Scotland. Visibility was poor (2 km) with low cloud moving along on the moderate to fresh SW'ly breeze. There was no singing from the mistle thrush this morning that remained mostly dry with odd spots of rain from time to time. Rain set in from 1215 GMT and at first turned moderate before easing later in the afternoon and stopping around 1700 GMT. The sky was slow to clear during the evening. [Rain 5.7 mm; Max 10.3C; Min 7.2C; Grass 6.1C]
30th: The sky almost cleared after midnight and with the temperature falling (air to 0.5C) water on the grass (-3.6C) and windscreens froze. It was a sunny morning, the mistle thrush decided to give a burst of song and the snowdrops and crocuses were standing proud on the lawn. The sky was deep blue the Saharan dust having moved off SE, but at low level it was misty and the mountaintops were obscured. The morning was sunny with a light NW'ly breeze; the afternoon bright at first became overcast later with rain edging into the west by nightfall. During the evening the SW'ly wind strengthened to force 6/7. [Rain mm; Max C; Min 0.5C; Grass -3.6C]
31st: At midnight low 970 mb was tracking E off NW Scotland with gales or severe gales in the north-west. The wind soon reached gale force 8 with strong gusts. At RAF Valley the mws between 03 and 05 GMT was a sustained force 9 with a peak gust of 71 mph recorded. A weak cold front crossed over about 06 GMT with the temperature falling from 7.8C to 5.0C at 09 GMT. At 0820 GMT there was a shower of rain and small 2-3 mm diameter ice pellets. There was ice precipitation on the summits of the Snowdonia Mountains, with slight snow on the NW-facing slopes of Crib-y-ddysgyl. The morning has some brief sunny spells with most showers confined to the mountains; the Britannia Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, but the restriction was largely ignored with few making the crossing through the narrow arches of the Menai Suspension Bridge. There were broad crepuscular rays seen over Caernarfon Bay at 1015 GMT. In the afternoon there were frequent light showers of snow pellets and slight snow. There were a few sunny intervals then with a temperature of 2.1C a moderate shower of snow pellets at 1620 GMT followed by large flaked snow that almost covered the ground for 20 minutes before melting. At Llyn Llydaw, Snowdon, rainfall for the month totalled 651 mm [ECN AWS, data courtesy of CCW]. I set up the first weather station on this site (1600 ft, 488 m) in 1966; it was used in research on grassland ecosystems in connection with the International Biological Programme (IBP) 1967-1971 Weather averages. Rainfall data first appeared in a 'new' paper-back Met Office publication that replaced British Rainfall in 1969, sadly no longer published. The modern tipping bucket raingauge, within the grid at ground level in the photo above seen along side the original octapent with rim at 1 ft above ground, achieves a better catch of rain. Data are now sent by radio to Bangor and can be seen on the web Snowdon, Llyn Llydaw ECN Station. [Rain 1.5 mm; Max 6.0C; Min 0.9C; Grass -2.5C]

The month ended with a rainfall total of 189.9 mm 168% of the decadal and 194% of the 30-y averages. It was the largest since 1999 and ranks 3rd wettest since before 1928. Temperatures were again above average, the monthly mean of 6.5C was (+0.7) and [+1.6]. Only 2 (-1.7) airfrosts were recorded and 12 ground frosts (+0.3). There were gales on 8 days .

February

1st: A bright morning with frozen deposits of water on the grass with the minimum thermometer covered in a glaze of ice, but concrete was just damp. There was slight snow lying on the N-facing slopes of the Snowdonia Mountains at about 1800 ft, but in parts was as low as 1200 ft. Pressure was 996 mb with low 958 mb approaching S Sweden. Winds were strong over the North Sea, but were moderating here with the NW'ly force 3. The day had some sunny spells turning showery later; we had a moderate shower of snow pellets almost covering the ground between 1700 and 1715 GMT. [Rain 0.9 mm; Max 6.6C; Min 1.8C; Grass -2.0C]
2nd: Mostly cloudy to begin the morning with stratocumulus and a few cumulus clouds over the mountains and altostratus and altocumulus overhead. There were quantities of snow pellets lying in patches on the ground. Overall <50% cover, but in places >70%. Pressure was high 1023 mb over the Bay of Biscay with complex low-pressure 982 mb approaching W Scotland. Pressure 1010 mb had risen in a transient ridge and there was a light SW'ly breeze. Visibility was good with snow still lying on the mountains. The morning kept dry with some sunny spells; there were light showers of rain in the afternoon and a heavier one at 2300 GMT. [Rain 1.5 mm; Max 7.5C; Min -0.5C; Grass -5.0C]
3rd: Slight showers of rain just after midnight and at 03 GMT. Pressure 992 mb had fallen again as low 966 mb neared the Western Isles. The S'ly wind was force 6 and strengthened through the day reaching strong to gale-force 8 at times. There were 1 or 2 lulls and brief sunny intervals enjoyed by the birds, especially the long-tailed tits, feeding on food hanging under the trees. There are several (up to 15 seen) male blackbirds in the vicinity, they often feed in a group along the edge of the adjacent field. These are winter visitors and include 1 ringed juvenile. We have normally 2-3 resident pairs, but in past weeks just 1 female has been regular and ruling the garden. Today we spotted another 3 females in the garden. With the arrival of a cold front there was light to moderate rain from 1600 GMT to about 1900 GMT. The temperature fell from 8.9C to around 4C and ice precipitation was just about possible, certainly over the mountains. There was more precipitation from 21 GMT petering out before midnight. [Rain 9.5 mm; Max 8.9C; Min 1.8C; Grass -0.2C]
4th: A bright at times morning with frequent light showers of rain here, but of ice precipitation above 2000 ft on the mountains. Pressure 989 mb was rising was low 970 mb was filling near the Western Isles of Scotland. The morning was mostly cloudy with showers dying out and the afternoon mostly sunny with a moderate to strong breeze. A waterspout was seen offshore at Aberystwyth about 1100 GMT this morning. A windy evening and night with slight rain from 2300 GMT. [Rain 0.8 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 1.9C; Grass -0.9C]
5th: The rain stopped after 0100 GMT and the morning was overcast with showers in the vicinity. At 09 GMT it was dry here and it was brighter towards Conwy as cloud broke over the valley Pressure was 989 mb with frontal-wave low 988 mb tracking NE over the North Channel. At Beaumaris close to high tide the strong SW'ly wind was whipping up spray on the beach, not that there were many around except the photographer. The flag on the Blue Peter Lifeboat Station was stretched taut in the wind, remnant snow could be seen on the top of the Carnedd Dafydd as the Mare Gratia B932 mussel dredger made its way up the Strait towards Porth Penrhyn in Bangor. The day remained cloudy with slight showers of rain around 13 GMT. Somewhat brighter and less windy in the afternoon, but I did not see any bright sunshine. There was slight intermittent rain during the evening. [Rain 6.3 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 4.1C; Grass 3.2C]
6th: At 03 GMT there was a shower of rain and small ice pellets, but soon after the sky began to clear. By 06 GMT there was clear sky overhead and the temperature was falling. With the clearance the tawny owls were hooting until daybreak, now about 0730 GMT on a clear morning. By 09 GMT dew drops on the grass had frozen clear and hard with the grass temperature falling to -2.5C. The sun rose over stratocumulus over the maintains at 0830 GMT, some 30 minutes earlier than at the winter solstice. Pressure 10-22 mb had risen and it was an almost clear sky sunny morning, moderate to good visibility although somewhat misty. The afternoon was sunny, with the temperature rising to 11.5C, and the sun set soon after 1630 GMT. Valley reported 8.1 h of sunshine, the highest on the day. There was a touch of ground frost (-1.5C) before cloud encroached and there was a shower at 2315 GMT. [Valley 8.1 h] [Rain 1.5 mm; Max 11.5C; Min 1.7C; Grass -2.5C]
7th: Overcast and with slight rain from 07 GMT. Pressure was 1026 mb between high 1039 mb Germany and low 969 mb Denmark Strait. The Sly wind was moderate to strong at first, but as the sky cleared after 1015 GMT moderated. There was some sunshine around noon, but more cloud arrived by afternoon and there were a few spots of rain. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 12.7C; Min 1.6C; Grass -1.5C]
8th: A cloudy sky with one patch of blue and a little sunshine just after 09 GMT. It was continuing mild with the overnight minimum air temperature 8.0C and no ground frost. Pressure was 1026 mb with low 996 mb N of Scotland with associated frontal cloud over the west. Cloud was moderately high and the sky looked brighter towards the mountains. The S'ly wind was moderate to fresh through the day that kept overcast and dry. [Valley 0.0h] [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 8.0C; Grass 7.5C]
9th: An overcast morning with the temperature 8.1C at 09 GMT. Pressure was 1026 mb with ridge of high-pressure 1041 mb N Italy, part of a large high stretching NE over Russia. This had started to block eastward movement of the jetstream (see graphic) sending it N of Britain. Visibility was very good and with the sky starting to clear by noon the temperature rose to 14.1C in afternoon sunshine. [Rain trace dew & fog; Max 14.1C; Min 6.1C; Grass 2.5C]
10th: A foggy morning with the sky obscured. Above the fog the sky was clear and it was a morning when the Snowdonia mountaintops were in the clear and sunny. Low cloud and fog persisted in many places bordering the Irish Sea, but it was a clear sunny day over land to the SE of here. We were high enough for the fog to clear leaving a 6/8th cover of cirrus clouds at noon giving some sunshine in the afternoon before the fog closed in again by 4 pm. There were places around the island and Menai Strait where fog persisted through the day. [Rain trace dew; Max 8.4C; Min 3.1C; Grass -0.5C]
11th: By morning the fog had cleared and the day was mostly clear and sunny. There was a light air or breeze from the ENE, sometimes ESE during the day. The temperature rose to 16.8C in the afternoon highest of the month, the second highest temperature recorded here in February. Relative humidities fell as low as 34% here, but on Cairngorm RH went down to 14% and to 27% at Capel Curig while it was 32% at Trawsgoed. The warmth tempted a red admiral butterfly out from hibernation, seen sunning itself around the garden on the Stevenson screen and recording raingauge, and a ladybird. There were several large bumble and honeybees on the flowering heathers and lesser celandines were out on grassy banks. A few azalea buds had opened as well as raspberry. The highest February temperature here was 17.2C on the 28th in 1985. The 16.8C today is the highest recorded by this date in the year. The AWS at Pili Palas near Four Crosses, Menai Bridge recorded 17.2C. {Llansadwrn 16.8C, Trawsgoed 16.1C} [Valley 8.7h] [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 16.8C; Min 1.7C; Grass -2.4C]
12th: Another sunny morning the slight white frost of frozen dew soon melting in the sunshine. Under clear skies the temperature rose to 14.1C by the afternoon with a light NE'ly off the sea. It rose to a summer-like 18.2C at Trawsgoed, Ceredigion, and 17C at Capel Curig. The record highest February temperature for Wales is 18.6C at Velindre on 23rd in 1990, with 18.3C recorded at Pen-y-ffridd, Bangor on the 28th in 1960. There was a fine orange-ball sunset and after sunset colours. The evening and night were clear with little or no wind. {Trawsgoed 18.2C} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 14.1C; Min 5.2C; Grass -1.3C]
13th: After a clear night in February it was disturbing to find that the air minimum had not fallen below 5.5C. The -1.1C on the grass produced a slight white frost of frozen dew. At 09 GMT the temperature was 5.7C (dewpoint 0.3C, RH 68%). Another fine sunny day with very good visibility, especially of the mountaintops it being hazier at lower levels, the temperature rising to 12.8C in a persistent light ENE'ly breeze. Another glowing orange sunset and fine colours over an hour afterwards. With tinder-dry surface vegetation a small gorse fire on the mountains between Conwy and Penmaenmawr turned into a major fire during the evening, the flames were seen from Anglesey. {Trawsgoed 17.2C} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 12.8C; Min 5.5C; Grass -1.1C]
14th: An almost clear sky in the morning with just good visibility in moderate, but increasing smoke haze. Pressure 1038 mb remained high; there was an E'ly breeze and a temperature of 2.0C at 09 GMT. Another sunny day, but the temperature only rose to 7.2C in a light NE'ly; almost clear sky at night with the temperature falling briefly to -0.1C after sunset. {Pembrey Sands 13.0C, Aberporth 9.0h}[Rain trace dew/frost; Max 7.2C; Min 1.0C; Grass -1.4C]
15th: More extensive white frost on the grass and fields ( grass -4.5C), mainly frozen dew but there was a little hoar frost as well with melted droplets on the raingauge funnel. Sunny with haze and with little or no wind. Pressure was 1039 mb with high 1046 mb over S Norway. A cold front was over the North Sea with cloud affecting parts of England. Another cold fronts over Iceland too far away to affect the sunny west. It was sunny all day with global solar radiation reaching 10.67 MJ per m² and 8.0h of sunshine recorded at RAF Valley. Some patchy cloud arrived from the E during the evening, but soon passed over to giving a clear night. [Valley 8.0h, Scilly Is 9.8C] [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 10.6C; Min -0.1C; Grass -4.5C]

The first 15 days had a mean temperature of 6.8C (+0.9) and [+1.5] of average. Notable was the mean maximum 10.7C (+2.1) and [+2.2], the 16.8C recorded on the 11th being the highest by this date in the year. Rainfall was 20.7 mm (22%) and [28%]..

16th: A white frost on the grass by morning with the air temperature down to -0.8C and -5.8C on the grass. It was a cloudless sky and calm at 09 GMT with pressure risen to 1042 mb. There was a light air (force 1/2) at times from the ENE during the day with continuous sunshine the temperature rose to 10.1C. Clear and frosty during the evening. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 10.1C; Min -0.8C; Grass -5.8C]
17th: Frost overnight with the air temperature falling to -1.0C and to -6.9C on the grass. There was light to moderate hoar frost on vegetation, raingauge rim and long crystals on grass thermometer . Soil was frozen and the 5 cm thermometer was down to 0.8C, the 30 cm was on 4.2C and at 100 cm 7.5C. A sunny day with pressure on 1040 mb, moderate visibility in haze and light E'ly breeze, the temperature rising to 6.1C. As the sun set mist formed across the fields and concrete at first dampened then later froze. It was another clear and frosty evening and night. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 6.1C; Min -1.0C; Grass -6.9C]
18th: A white frost on grass with the grass minimum down to -7.5C. There had been 6.3 h of air frost too with the minimum -1.3C, both were lowest of the month. Frost, thickly deposited on drosometer pads exposed overnight, was equivalent to 0.35 mm of precipitation. Inversion haze and mist was in valley bottoms and along the Menai Strait (Valley reported freezing fog at 07-08 GMT), but the mountaintops were in the clear. At 09 GMT the temperature here (330 ft, 107 m) was 0.8C while at Clogwyn on Snowdon (2526 ft, 770 m) it was 6.3C while in the valley bottom in Llanberis it was -1.3C (data courtesy of FirstHydro). Colorations of the sky at dawn to early sunrise, caused by the sun's rays passing at low angle through aerosols in the atmosphere and relatively dry air, have been remarkable and like that seen over north African deserts or California. The diffuse orange colour can be seen in the photograph (right). Another sunny day with relative humidity a low 44% and temperature rising to 12.2C and 14.1C at Capel Curig; there were fires on the mountainside to the S during the afternoon and in SE Anglesey producing much smoke. More remarkable sky colorations developed after sunset, possibly enhanced by local fire smoke, transposed through diffuse yellows, orange and dark peach lasted for over an hour. Clear sky during the evening and night with bright moonlight. {Capel Curig 14.1C, Aberporth 9.3h} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 12.2C; Min -1.3C; Grass -7.5C]
19th: Clear overnight but relative humidity was < 60 % and there was less frost (0.15 mm measured) although the grass minimum fell to -5.5C. Bare soil remains frozen with the temperature at 5 cm 0.7C. A sunny morning with weaker inversion and pressure 1024 mb continuing to fall. The afternoon was sunny with a light S'ly breeze, that overcame the NE'ly breeze off the sea; in a Föhn-like effect the relative humidity fell to 34% and the temperature rose to 13.5C, one of the highest in Britain today. Sunset and after sunset colours were normal and short-lived this evening. With clear sky extending into the evening and night there was frost on the ground with the minimum falling to -5.5C. It is the sunniest February since 1986, so far. {Capel Curig 12.1C, Aberporth 9.3h} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 13.5C; Min 0.6C; Grass -5.5C]
20th: After 9 consecutive days of clear sky sunshine, with solar radiation increasing each day, this morning was disappointingly overcast with grey stratus. Visibility was poor (2 km) in haze and overnight frost had long disappeared. The dewpads recorded only 0.09 mm, but it was likely that some had already evaporated. Pressure was steady on 1017 mb with high 1019 mb dissipating to the S and complex low-pressure SE Greenland. A cold front was lying over W Ireland and NW Scotland. By 11 GMT the cloud was breaking with some blue sky returning giving a little sunshine. Cloud was thin and moderately high at first in the afternoon, but thickened with light drizzle by 1700 GMT. The evening and night were mostly cloudy. {Valley 9.8C, Sennybridge -6.3C, Aberporth 2.5h} [Rain 2.8 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 0.6C; Grass -5.5C]

21st: The sky was overcast between 03 and 04 GMT so that the total eclipse of the moon (last until Dec 2010) could not be seen. There was some rain around 04 GMT and leading up to 09 GMT. Pressure was 1017 mb with a warm front over Britain and we were 'back to the usual' moist moderate to strong SW'ly airflow. There was little variation in temperature through the day that remained sunless. In the garden the first blue flowers of Chionodoxa luciliae (Glory-of-the snow) have appeared. There was heavy rainfall in Scotland that also had the highest temperatures. {Kinlochewe 76.4 mm; Dyce 15C, Hawarden 11.8C} [Rain 12.5 mm; Max 9.5C; Min 3.4C; Grass 2.0C]
22nd: There was moderate to heavy rain from just after midnight until just before 0700 GMT that accumulated 12.5 mm. Overcast with low stratus cloud and mist with visibility poor (2 km). Pressure was 1015 mb with high-pressure 1033 mb now well S of Britain. With the blocking high dissipated the jetstream had reconnected and was over Britain once more (see graphic). Low 950 mb was over the N Norwegian Sea while developing low with triple point was over central Scotland. Isobars were tight in the north with strong to gale-force winds around coast and mountains. The day was overcast and sunless, but the cloud lifted and thinned during the afternoon and the sky cleared during the evening as pressure rose. [Rain trace; Max 10.0C; Min 7.7C; Grass 7.0C]
23rd: There was bright moonlight until after midnight but the sky was overcast by morning. The SW'ly wind was a blustery force 5/6 and there were spots of rain on the raingauge funnel although the bottle was dry. Pressure 1019 mb was falling again with low 964 mb S of Iceland moving NE, high 1033 mb was over central France. The day was windy, dull and sunless, but it kept dry until just after 1700 GMT. Slight rain continued until 2015 GMT before petering out; there was broken cloud in the night. [Rain 2.6 mm; Max 10.1C; Min 5.9C; Grass 1.4C]
24th: Another spell of slight rain between 0645 and 0830 GMT as a weak cold front passed over heading SE'ward. Pressure was 1013 mb and there was some more intermittent rain around 09 GMT that lasted into the morning. Before noon with the rain stopped it was brighter with a few beaks appearing in the thinning cloud. At the end of the afternoon there was a little sunshine as the setting sun finally appeared below the cloud with clear sky approaching in the west. With much little or no wind in the evening there was a ground frost. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 8.6C; Min 7.1C; Grass 6.5C]
25th: Before dawn cloud encroached and wind was strengthening. At 09 GMT pressure 1015 mb was falling with Atlantic-low 960 mb tracking NE'ward S of Iceland. The SSW'ly wind was force 5/6 and cloud thickening. Cumulus clouds were over the western Snowdonia Mountain range and a sprinkling of snow from a showers was seen on C. Llewelyn Nearing the end of the month the mean temperature continued above average (+0.6) and [+1.4] and rainfall just 39.8 mm (42%) and [53%] of average. The morning was dry before the S'ly wind strengthened to gale force 8 as showery rain arrived, on a frontal system, around 1500 GMT and continued until 1700 GMT. There was moderate to heavy rain from 2030 to around midnight and very heavy rain over the mountain of Snowdonia with Llyn Llydaw, Snowdon clocking up 55 3 mm in the 24-h to 06 GMT on the 26th. [Rain 11.8 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 1.7C; Grass -2.7C]
26th: A much brighter morning with the sky clearing rapidly at 09 GMT. Pressure 1001 mb was rising with the fronts to the SE passing over England. The SW'ly wind was force 5 and the temperature 6.5C, dewpoint 4.2C. After the clear slot it was cloudier with spells of sunshine although there was a slight shower at 1530 GMT. Cloud was moderately high with views of the summits of the Carneddau Mountains, there was no snow except a few small patches to be seen. Later the sky started to clear giving a moonlit night. [Rain trace; Max 9.8C; Min 5.2C; Grass 2.9C]
27th: At 0057 GMT there was an earthquake of 5.2 on the Richter scale beneath Market Rasen in Lincolnshire. It was felt widely through Britain in some places up to 10 seconds, including slightly in Anglesey, and caused minor damage estimated at over £10 million. It was the largest since the 5.4 magnitude earthquake near the Lleyn Peninsular in 1984 that was followed by several months of aftershocks up to magnitude 3. After a clear night the grass minimum was down to -1.5C, there was moderate dew, but no frost was seen at 09 GMT. Although staring off sunny the day soon became mostly cloudy, but there were sunny spells and it kept dry. Cloud persisted through the evening and into the night. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 11.3C; Min 2.6C; Grass -1.5C]
28th: There was no frost overnight under a blanket of moderately high cloud. The morning was bright with pressure 1019 mb with a ridge of high-pressure extending from the SW. The morning was bright with a light SW'ly breeze while the afternoon was cloudier with lines of dark stratocumulus and a few spots of rain before dusk. The lesser celandines were well out in the garden and along hedgerows where 1 or 2 dandelions were spotted; there was no sign of leaf buds breaking on the hedges. A cloudy frost-free evening. [Rain 1.0 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 4.3C; Grass 0.5C]
29th: For our extra day this leap-year the SSW'ly wind was strengthening and pressure 1011 mb falling as deepening low 964 mb approached NW Scotland. It had started to rain at 0815 GMT and there was 1 mm in the gauge at 09 GMT. A letter to The Times reported a bluebell out in Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, but a careful look in the wood here revealed just leaves up 10 cm, or more, but no buds. Several blue flowers of the 'Glory-of-the-snow' are now out, but there has been no snow. Rain continued through the morning and was moderate to heavy at times until 1300 GMT and was accompanied by strong to gale-force winds. In Llandudno winds dislodged part of a theatre and conference centre roof closing part of the promenade. The afternoon was drier, but sunless. The evening turned showery with a moderate shower of rain and small ice pellets around 2000 GMT, and slight showers until midnight. Rainfall of 16.3 mm over 5.9 h duration ending 09 GMT on 1 March was largest of the month. [Rain 16.3 mm; Max 10.0C; Min 4.9C; Grass 0.9C]

The month ended with 68.9 mm of rainfall [92%] of the 30-y average, but only (74%) of the past 10-years. The mean temperature was 6.6C (+0.7) and [+1.3] of average. Sunshine duration at Valley was 120.8 h the most since 1986 and 5th on the Anglesey record since 1930. .

March

1st: DYDD DEWI SANT: And spoiled for choice for a photograph as there were plenty of daffodils, in several varieties, in flower in the garden. The morning was bright at 09 GMT with pressure 1010 mb rising with a moderately NW'ly breeze. With 5 oktas cover of cirrus, altostratus and a few cumulus clouds the sun was breaking through, but by 11 GMT the sky was overcast. Cloud thickened during the afternoon and there was some drizzle and slight rain as the wind strengthened. The evening was overcast. [Rain 0.1 mm; Max 10.2C; Min 5.3C; Grass 2.1C]
2nd: With cloudy skies the air temperature did not fall below 6.3C, the highest minimum of the month noteworthy because it was the lowest minimum in March since 1984 (6.1C). From dawn the sky started to clear giving a bright morning although variable patchy cloud moved across from time to time. Pressure was 1011 mb and visibility moderate in haze. The sky gradually cleared so that by afternoon it was mostly sunny. The temperature reached 11.5C and global solar radiation reached 9.93 MJ per m². During the evening showers moved in off the Irish Sea and there was precipitation around 1930 GMT. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 11.5C; Min 6.3C; Grass 3.6C]
3rd: Around midnight there was a moderate shower of sleet and later conical-shaped snow pellets up to 5 mm diameter that covered the ground. By morning pellets were still lying on the grass and piled in roof gutters. The morning was bright with sunny spells between cumulus clouds blown in off the Irish Sea on a fresh W'ly wind. The temperature was 3.0C, dewpoint (-0.3C) indicative of the chance of more wintry weather. The morning continued with cumulus clouds moving across the sky with sunny spells. Alexanders (see photo above and right) was seen flowering on the roadside at the old (1613) Almshouses near Beaumaris, and on a nearby field a flock of redwings were spotted. Ice precipitation was dusted around the summits of the Snowdonia Mountains above 2500 ft and there were more showers in the afternoon, but amounts deposited on the ground were very small. Pressure was 1011 mb with Atlantic-high 1038 mb building W of the Bay of Biscay. The morning was mostly sunny; the afternoon was cloudier and over the mountains cumulonimbus brought frequent snow showers, but again amounts on the ground were small and soon disappeared. At 1925 GMT there was a spell of sleet here (air temperature was 1.7C) that soon turned to rain, but snow did settle on the mountains at higher levels. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 8.1C; Min 1.3C; Grass -2.2C]
4th: There were a few slight showers of snow pellets after midnight and with clearing sky the temperature fell to 1.2C and -2.0C on the grass. It was a clear sunny morning and light snow was lying generally at 1000 ft and down to 500 ft in places on the north-facing slopes of the Carneddau. Pressure 1030 mb was rising with high 1042 mb lying to the SW off the Scilly Isles. In the sunshine the temperature rose to 11.7C; the afternoon was cloudier, but no showers were seen today. The evening was clear with bright stars and the temperature on the grass dropped to -3.8C, lowest of the month, with the dewfall freezing. {Hawarden 10.9C} [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 11.7C; Min 1.2C; Grass -2.0C]
5th: By morning the sky was overcast with cumulus clouds overhanging the Snowdonia Mountains. Pressure was 1035 mb with high 1041 mb to the SW beginning to decline. Deepening low 979 mb E of Iceland was moving towards the Norwegian Sea. The day kept overcast, but brighter at first. In the afternoon the cloud thickened, but kept dry. The day was sunless with global solar radiation of 6.02 MJ per m². The white flowers of blackthorn (flowers before leaves) have started appearing and the opening buds of hawthorn (leaves before flowers) are giving a slight green tint to the hedgerows. Catkins are out on hazel in the garden and slip-road on to the A55 towards Holyhead, and are well developed on alder in the children's playground in Llansadwrn village. The evening and night were overcast [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.3C; Min 0.6C; Grass -3.8C]
6th: Overnight under the blanket of cloud the air temperature varied little around 6.0C. The grass minimum read 6.2C and soil at 5 cm 6.8C at 09 GMT. With a moderate SW'ly wind the grass was dry except that some basal leaves had guttation droplets at their tips. High 1035 mb in the Bay of Biscay was declining and pressure here was 023 mb. Low 969 mb was now on the coast of Norway while deep low 974 mb SE Greenland was headed E towards Scotland. The morning was cloudy with low cloud moving in over the western Snowdonia Mountains and there was a slight shower of rain at 1030 GMT. The afternoon, though bright at times with waves in the stratocumulus clouds opening, I did not see any sunshine. Later the cloud thickened giving a few spots of rain on the strengthening wind. [Rain 7.4 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 6.0C; Grass 6.2C]
7th: There was moderate rain from 0030 to 0400 GMT and a temperature drop of 3C from 0300 GMT, with a fall of small ice pellets, as a cold front passed over. By 08 GMT the sky was starting to clear a little and pressure 1009 mb to rise. The 5.6C temperature felt chilly in the moderate SW'ly wind; there was a fresh fall of snow on the Snowdonia Mountains. Cloud decreased through the morning and the afternoon was mostly sunny on Anglesey. The evening was clear with bright stars before cloud encroached. [Rain 1.5 mm; Max 9.6C; Min 2.9C; Grass 0.2C]
8th: There was drizzle and slight rain from midnight and a moderate shower around 07 GMT. At 09 GMT pressure 995 mb was falling with low 968 mb slow-moving near NW Scotland. The SW'ly wind had freshened to a gusty force 6 and the morning was overcast with low stratus, but it kept dry. The afternoon too was cloudy here, although there was some sunshine in the west of the island. A weak cold front passed over from 1400 GMT bringing showery rain and ice pellets at 1635 GMT. [Rain 4.0 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 5.6C; Grass 2.5C]
9th: An almost clear sky early almost enough to give a ground frost, but not quite with the grass minimum reading 0.1C. The grass was wet with yesterday's precipitation and fresh deposits of dew. At 09 GMT the sky was cloudier and this trend continued through the morning. Pressure 993 mb was still rising, but the well-forecast rapidly developing low was over the Atlantic west of Ireland. The afternoon was sunny at times, but again showers moved in and there was a moderate shower of snow pellets at 1635 GMT almost covering the ground. By noon the deepening low was 960 mb S of Iceland (see NOAA 18 image at 1403 GMT) and at 1800 GMT was 949 mb. By 2200 GMT the low was charted as 946 mb just NW of Ireland close the record low-pressure of around 943 mb. Coastal areas particularly in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire have been warned of a storm surge. On Anglesey pressure 980 mb was falling quickly and the backing S'ly wind had freshened force 6/7. [Rain 6.8 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 3.3C; Grass 0.1C]
10th: Pressure continued to fall after midnight and the SSE'ly wind strengthened to gale force 8/9 with strong gusts (RAF Valley reported a gust of 67 mph) and moderate rain as well around 01-05 GMT. By 06 GMT with the low approaching over St George's Channel we were in the 'eye' and the sky was almost clear. At 09 GMT pressure 957 mb was still falling, but more slowly with the low centred over St George's Channel see chart above left. With 4 oktas cloud cover it was sunny and I had much more pleasant conditions to make the obs than expected. Just as well as it's the day to change the charts on the autographic recorders! The sky was soon cloudier as a band of rain moved in from the SW reaching here by 1000 GMT. It was cold enough for snow to fall on the Snowdonia Mountains. At low water at Holyhead around 0530 GMT there was a 0.7 m tidal surge, high water the highest (10.0 m Liverpool) of the current springs was at noon and had a moderate 0.6 m surge on top of the tide (making it 6.6 m at Holyhead, data courtesy of the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory). (The MODIS Terra satellite image captured at 1130 GMT shows the swirl of cloud associated with the low over Wales. Channels 7-2-1 were selected for this image which enhance the cloud against the ground surface. The blue colour is an indication of cloud-top temperatures, the bluer the image the higher the cloud.).The middle of the day saw some more sunshine and light winds backing around the compass to be NW'ly by 1400 GMT when another band of rain and a few ice pellets moved across. At 2100 GMT there was a shower of sleet. The strongest winds and heaviest rain through the day were in the southern half of Britain. Alderney, in the Channel Islands, reported a gust of 86 mph while Mumbles had 81 mph. Liscombe in Devon reported {36.4 mm} and Sennybridge {35.4 mm}. Winds and high tides along the south coast produced some spectacular scenes as waves broke over promenades; at Selsey a caravan park nest to the sea was flooded with up to 3 ft of water and occupiers had to be rescued by boat. {Liscombe 36.4 mm, Aldergrove 7.4h}[Rain 3.4 mm; Max 8.4C; Min 3.5C; Grass 0.6C]
11th: There were a few clearer spells overnight so that there was a touch of ground frost (grass min -0.8C), but by morning the sky was overcast and there was rain before 09 GMT. Pressure 982 mb was falling again with another deep low 960 mb S of Iceland tracking towards W Scotland. This is likely to produce stronger winds in the north and a Met Office warning is already posted, so I'm keeping my hard hat handy! Visibility was moderate to poor in the rain that was falling in a temperature of 4.5C (dewpoint 3.3C) with a 50% chance of ice precipitation. Snow was falling at about 1200 ft on the mainland mountains and was lying above 2300 ft on slopes of the Carneddau under the Black Ladders. The rain had stopped by 1000 GMT and visibility improved moderate to good and it was soon sunny. The NOAA 18 satellite image shows the comma shaped cloud formation associated with the low S of Iceland heading for Scotland. Frontal cloud is over E England and France while convective clouds are over Ireland and Irish Sea. The day had variable amounts of cloud with passing cumulus shower clouds in the vicinity we caught one about 1520 GMT. With pressure 978 mb falling the SW'ly wind freshened during the afternoon reaching force 6. There was another shower of rain and ice pellets around 2130 GMT; the wind strengthened up to gale force 8 before midnight. At 2045 GMT the AWS at Clogwyn on Snowdon (Courtesy of FirstHydro) recorded a gust of 82 mph and mws of 57 mph (force 10). [Rain 1.1 mm; Max 12.7C; Min 3.2C; Grass -0.8C]
12th: After midnight it was a very rough night with a strong gale force 9 for several hours only moderating a little just before 09 GMT. At 0400 GMT the AWS at Clogwyn recorded a gust of 95 mph and mws of 65 mph (force 11). A tree was blown down in the wood here and several large branches sheared off others in the area while the road was littered with debris. The Britannia Bridge was closed to high-vehicles all night and was still closed in the morning with a 20 mph speed limit into the afternoon . Lorries on the busy A55 were diverted over the narrow arched Menai Suspension Bridge. Pressure 998 mb was rising quickly as the low moved E across the Norwegian Sea. The morning was breezy with a cloud bank over the Snowdonia Mountains with Anglesey largely cloud-free. Winds were strongest in areas bordering the Irish Sea; Crosby (Liverpool) recorded a peak gust of 75 mph, Aberporth 73 mph, and Valley 70 mph. The afternoon was sunny with fast-moving cumulus clouds passing-by on the strong to gale-force W'ly wind that continued unabated until evening. A moderation of the wind speed and clear sky led to the grass temperature falling to 0.5C so there was no frost. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 11.1C; Min 3.5C; Grass 0.9C]
13th: A grey overcast morning with a light SW'ly breeze. Pressure 1010 mb was still rising under the influence of high 1026 mb over Spain. To the north l,ow 981 mb were over the Norwegian Sea and Baltic. A small frontal-wave over SW Ireland brought a little rain by 1030 GMT to wash western-facing windows that had dried salt on them blown 16 km across the island on the W'ly winds. The strong winds have been unusual in that they are normally associated with heavy rain so that the salt is not noticed. The day was overcast and dull with some more rain at 1715 to 1800 GMT after which the sky started to clear, but there was a slight shower at 1945 GMT. Leaves of snowberry are beginning to open. Under clear sky there was ground frost with the minimum falling to -3.2C. [Rain 2.8 mm; Max 9.3C; Min 4.2C; Grass 0.5C]
14th: Before dawn the sky had covered with moderately high altostratus cloud. At 09 GMT pressure 1011 mb was rising, visibility was a very good 40 km and there was a light variable generally S'ly breeze. By 1000 GMT the sun was seen looming through the cloud, but not shining brightly. The day was overcast and sunless. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 9.8C; Min 1.3C; Grass -3.2C]
15th: Remaining overcast overnight, there was a little drizzle around 0315 GMT. The minimum was the 09 GMT temperature on the 14th with the grass minimum 4.8C under the blanket of cloud. It was still overcast with the altostratus and stratocumulus, but visibility was over 40 km with clear views of the mountains, Lleyn Peninsular and Bardsey. Pressure 1004 mb was falling with complex low 993 mb Bay of Biscay and SW Approaches. Associated warm frontal cloud was overlying Wales and the Wash and the day was sunless. Leaves of hawthorn are opening on trees in the wood, but there are none on the hedgerows hereabouts. There was light to moderate rain from 1445 GMT to midnight, but was heavy between 1900 - 2000 GMT, then slight or heavy drizzle before another spell of light to moderate rain from 03 to 0500 GMT accumulated 20.6 mm by morning, the largest fall of the month. [Rain 20.6 mm; Max 11.5C; Min 4.7C; Grass 4.8C]

The 20.6 mm on the 15th brought rainfall for the first 15 days up to 50.3 mm (68%) and [59%] of the month's average. The mean temperature was 6.8C (-0.4) and [+0.1] of the average.

16th: The low had steamed up the English Channel and was 994 mb over the Dover Strait at 0900 GMT. Pressure here 1006 mb was rising and we had a moderate NNE'ly breeze. The sky was still overcast but soon the cloud was thinning and a few blue patches were overhead by 1000 GMT. There was a sprinkling of fresh snow on the mountaintops of Snowdonia. The afternoon had a clearing sky and sunshine the cool wind persisting with a maximum temperature of 7.7C. The evening was clear with a touch of ground frost, but the sky turned cloudier later. [Rain 0.1 mm; Max 7.7C; Min 5.3C; Grass 4.2C]
17th: A slight shower of rain around 03 GMT then a clearing sky to dawn and a sunny morning. Pressure 1020 mb was still rising slowly with Icelandic-high 1027 mb extending to NW Scotland. Pressure was low 1002 mb to the SW of Britain. The morning was sunny with just a few fair-weather cumulus clouds passing on the light E'ly breeze. The afternoon was mostly clear and sunny with global solar radiation reaching 17.52 MJ per m², highest of the year so far. The evening and night were clear with a light NE'ly breeze. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 8.6C; Min 3.5C; Grass -0.4C]

On sunny afternoons the garden has been humming with honeybees foraging on banks of flowering pink and white Ericas in the garden. There is not a lot for bees at this time, but they always come for the 'heather' flowers. Horse-chestnut buds continue to open and begin to look like small yellow candles, and there are some green buds appearing on a few sycamores. The glory-of -the snow is now in full flower and flowers of alpine clematis are showing signs of opening.

18th: The air temperature fell to -0.1C, the lowest minimum of the month, and on the grass -3.7C, but the air was relatively dry and there was little dew and I did not see any white frost. Temperatures were lower in Valley bottoms (Llanberis -1.5C). The sky was overcast at dawn, but had begun to break at 09 GMT and there was soon a little sunshine. Pressure 1024 mb was rising with Icelandic-high 1027 mb extended over Ireland. Pressure remained low 1011 mb to the SW and 989 mb S Baltic. Several rooks were busy breaking off twigs from trees to rebuild their nests nearby. The goat willow has started to flower. By noon it was cloudier with dark cumulus passing overhead giving frequent, but light, showers. These hardly wetted the ground being identified only by the spots. During the evening the cloud mostly cleared away and there was ground frost. [Rain trace; Max 7.6C; Min -0.1C; Grass -3.7C]
19th: A fine sunny start with a complex sky of cirrostratus and contrails, together with altocumulus. There was some cumulus over the mountaintops and a few fair-weather cumulus blowing gently across on the light N'ly breeze. Pressure 1027 mb was still rising with the high 1032 mb covering Ireland and stretching W into the Atlantic merging with high 1028 mb mid-Atlantic. The sunny morning was not to last as by noon there was 7 oktas cloud cover and there had been a few spots of rain. Visibility continued very good and clear. The afternoon had some sunny spells between well-developed cumulus clouds and one cumulonimbus. The evening and night skies were clear at times, but there was no frost. [Rain trace; Max 8.8C; Min 0.8C; Grass -2.2C]
20th: A dull overcast morning with a few spots of rain on the moderate SW'ly wind. Pressure 1018 mb was falling with the high 1036 mb now to the SW and low 980 mb E of Iceland over the Norwegian Sea. Visibility was just good in haze. The afternoon kept overcast and sunless with the highest temperature of 9.0C between 1700 and 2100 GMT. [Rain 3.9 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 3.2C; Grass 0.0C]
21st: There were showers of ice precipitation including snow pellets and sleet between 05 and 06 GMT falling as snow on the Snowdonia Mountains. At 09 GMT pressure 994 mb had just started to rise with the low 972 mb over Denmark and high 1035 mb in mid-Atlantic W of the Bay of Biscay. There was a moderate to strong NW'ly wind and the morning at first had some sunny spells between cumulus clouds, turning cloudier by noon. During the afternoon the wind turned NE'ly and 2 squalls passed over, at 1424 GMT and about 1600 GMT, both with gusty wind and conical-shaped snow pellets. I was caught out in the first and took shelter behind a hedgerow tree when I took the photograph! The NE'ly wind kept strong to gale-force during the evening, but there were no more showers. [Rain 0.6 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 3.0C; Grass 1.2C]
22nd: The NE'ly still strong (force 6/7) was buffeting the Stevenson screen at 09 GMT. Pressure 1008 mb was rising between the high 1031 mb to the W of Ireland and low 979 over Poland. Isobars were tight over Britain with airflow from the arctic; the temperature was 3.8C (dewpoint -1.8C and RH 67%). Ms Albert Piche's evaporimeter showed evaporation of 4.9 mm over the past 24-h, unusually high for here. The grass and concrete were dry and the soil surface looked almost dry too. The day was mostly fine with some sunny spells between the cumulus shower clouds as the wind moderated slowly. The temperature reached a maximum of 6.8C, and with tomorrow's was lowest of the month. There flurries of very small snowflakes at 1545 GMT and later, very small amounts here, but the north-face of C. Llewelyn and Dafydd were finely dusted, like icing sugar sprinkled on a cake. The evening was mostly cloudy with the grass minimum falling to -0.5C. [Rain 4.7 mm; Max 6.8C; Min 2.9C; Grass 2.2C]
23rd: A shallow low developed over N Scotland at midnight and moved S being over Cheshire by morning. This brought associated fronts and precipitation across northern England and North Wales. There was precipitation here at 03 and 05 GMT, when the temperature was 2.2C, of snow pellets and sleet, or snow. There was light to moderate snowfall on northern Snowdonia Mountains and was lying about 1200 ft in places at 09 GMT when there were further snow showers seen as low as 600 ft, but any snow on the ground soon melted. There was snow also reported in England on the Pennines (5-10 cm) and southwards (2 cm in places). Pressure was 1001 mb and starting to rise, temperature 4.4C with dewpoint 2.4C. A few sunny spells developed during the morning and cloud was lifting about 1130 GMT. The temperature again reached only 6.8C, with yesterday's was lowest of the month. The afternoon was cloudier with slight showers of snow pellets and rain from 1435 and 1535 GMT. The evening had some broken cloud, but no frost developed. [Rain 2.3 mm; Max 6.8C; Min 2.2C; Grass -0.5C]
24th: There was a moderate fall of snow pellets and sleet from 0530 GMT with further slight showers of sleets around 0900 GMT. This was all falling as snow as low as 800 ft on the Snowdonia Mountains under low cloud. Pressure 1002 mb was rising with large Atlantic-high 1031 mb to the SW. pressure remains low 984 mb over Scandinavia resulting in the flow S of the cold air from the Arctic. By 0930 GMT the sky had started to clear and cloud to lift. There were some sunny spells before noon before more slight showers of snow pellets moved across on the N'ly breeze. Later these cleared away and there were some fine views of the mountains in sunshine under cumulus clouds. Partly cloudy evening and at night. [Rain 0.5 mm; Max 7.8C; Min 2.1C; Grass 0.2C]
25th: Slight rain from just before 09 GMT. Pressure 1010 mb was rising and the current temperature 5.1C (dewpoint 1.3C). Visibility was good to see cloud and low fog over snow at 1200 ft on the Carneddau Mountains. By the afternoon with rising temperatures the snowline had risen to 1500 ft. There was light rain then drizzle from 1500 GMT, and a further spell of rain from 2000 to just before 2100 GMT and further fine drizzle. [Rain 5.0 mm; Max 7.8C; Min 2.1C; Grass 0.6C]
26th: A mild night under the blanket of cloud (minimum 4.6C) and rain from 0430 to 0500 then showery rain until 0630 GMT. At 09 GMT pressure 1000 mb was rising within a slack pressure area; low-pressure 995 mb was to the NW (Iceland to Scotland), low 967 mb Baltic and high 1033 mb W of Iberia. The wind was light W'ly and visibility was barely good with low cloud and mist above 1500 ft on N-facing mountain slopes. The sky, slow to clear, had a few patches of blue by 11 GMT. The afternoon, again cloudier at first with a prolonged slight shower of rain from 1330 GMT, began to clear so that by 1500 GMT the sky was almost cloudless. There were fine views of the snow-capped Carneddau Mountains, although at lower levels with the inevitable retreat of the snowline. The evening was clear with dew and frost on the grass. [Rain 0.3 mm; Max 10.8C; Min 4.6C; Grass 3.8C]
27th: The grass minimum registered -1.7C and there was 0.17 mm of dew measured overnight. It was a bright morning but cloud had increased to 6 oktas by 09 GMT. Visibility was good, but hazy, with cloud on the mountaintops. Pressure 1001 mb was rising within a large complex area of low-pressure stretching from Greenland to the Baltic. The morning had a few sunny spells with the cloud breaking leading to a sunny afternoon. The temperature rose to 13.2C and the relative humidity fell to 49%. The first chiffchaff to return here, close to the usual return date but earlier than last year (2 April), was heard and seen at 1308 GMT, we have not seen any staying the winter at the weather station. Later cloud, associated with a deepening low 973 mb W of Ireland, encroached from the west. [Rain 3.2 mm; Max 13.2C; Min 1.8C; Grass -1.7C]
28th: The temperature had fallen to 4.4C at 01 GMT before a warm front led to rising temperature. The was drizzle then light rain from 0500 GMT with strong to gale-force S'ly wind. At 09 GMT pressure 987 mb was rising and the temperature fallen back a little 8.9C with 99% relative humidity. Visibility was very poor in drizzle and light rain and the wind moderated to force 4 SW'ly. The rain soon eased and by 11 GMT, visibility was good and it was bright with some breaks appearing in the cloud and was sunny before noon. It did not last long as the sky was soon overcast again and there was showery rain from 1500 GMT, with small ice pellets at 1558 GMT, until about 1900 GMT this falling as snow on the mountains. Later the sky partially cleared.[Rain 7.1 mm; Max 11.4C; Min 4.4C; Grass 2.4C]
29th: Cloudier and windier, but bright with the sun shining through altostratus cloud obscuring the sky. There was a line of cumulus clouds across the Snowdonia Mountains and a few spotted to the west. Pressure 1001 mb was falling with low 984 mb near Shannon, W Ireland and 973 mb S of Iceland. At 09 GMT the S'ly wind was force 5/6 with the cloud thickening as a band of rain already over Ireland, St George's Channel and S Wales approached Anglesey. There was rain from 1030 GMT and was more or less continuous with heavy blustery showers in the afternoon, often containing ice pellets. [Rain 15.3 mm; Max 9.7C; Min 3.8C; Grass 1.1C]
30th: Showers died out soon after midnight then the sky cleared. The morning was sunny with some cumulus clouds over the mountains of Snowdonia and to the west of Anglesey associated with a low 989 mb off SW Ireland. Pressure 996 mb was rising at 09 GMT (10 am summer time) with a temperature of 8.5C (dewpoint 5.2C) and a light SW'ly breeze. The sky was very blue sky with some fair-weather cumulus increasing and moving across quite quickly from the W by 1100 GMT. The cumulus cloud developed more over Snowdonia and a snow shower was reported near Llanberis and around some of the summits in the afternoon. Mostly sunny and dry day on Anglesey with the temperature rising to 13.0C (Hawarden 13.2C). The evening was partly cloud. Rain 0.0 mm; Max 13.0C; Min 4.3C; Grass 1.3C]
31st: With some clear spells overnight there was a touch of ground frost (-0.6C), but I did not see any frozen dew in the morning. A mostly sunny morning with pressure 1012 mb rising in a transient ridge across Wales as a shallow low moved E along the English Channel. There were 5 oktas cover of mostly cumulus clouds with good sunny spells during the morning. At the end of the month there was still snow lying on the northern-slopes of the mountains, best on Carnedd Llewelyn with frequent snow patches, some large, as low as 1600 ft. The afternoon had some good sunny spells and with light to moderate S'ly wind the temperature rose to 14.6C, highest of the month (Hawarden 13.4C). Single peacock and comma butterflies were around the garden drying their wings and settling on flowering heathers and dandelion. Flowers on our plum tree were beginning to open, but the damson is slow coming on. By evening it was overcast and the wind strengthened to strong to near gale force overnight with showery rain from 2200 to 0215 GMT. {Grimsby 14.9C} [Rain 2.8 mm; Max 14.6C; Min 4.0C; Grass -0.6C]

The month ended with a mean temperature of 6.5C (-0.7) and [-0.2] of average. The highest maximum 14.6C on the last day was (-1.9) of average while the lowest minimum -0.1C on the 18th was (+1.8) the only day with air frost was (-1.7). Ground frosts 11 were close to average (-0.3). Rainfall was 96.1 mm (131%) and [113%] of average and sunshine duration was an estimated 125.2 h with 8 sunless days.

April

1st: A bright morning and with the sky clearing from 6 oktas stratocumulus and cumulus clouds the morning became sunny with fair-weather clouds predominating. Pressure 1014 mb was rising with low 993 mb just N of Scotland. The SW'ly wind was force 5 and continued force 5/6 through the day. The temperature reached 14.3C and with relative humidity 60% was a good drying day. The soil is still very wet and still unfit for cultivation, a few fields have been ploughed and sown, but local opinion was they were taking a chance. The afternoon continued mostly sunny and the evening clear so that there was a fine view of the European ATV, just ahead of the International Space Station the brightest object in the sky, overhead the weather station between 2028 and 2034 GMT. (Global solar radiation 15.08 MJ m^-2.)[Rain 1.4 mm; Max 14.3C; Min 7.3C; Grass 4.8C]
2nd: A dull morning with drizzle, fine to light and interspersed with light rain from 06 GMT accumulating 1.4 mm by 09 GMT. Pressure 1025 mb was still rising in a ridge with high 1023 mb over the Bay of Biscay and low 999 mb SW Iceland with low-pressure extending into mid-Atlantic. Pressure was also low over the North Sea and Baltic. The morning kept dull with the poor visibility improving to moderate as drizzle petered out for a while before returning by noon for a while. Later the afternoon was dry and mostly windless, but with a strong gust that disturbed a pile of dry leaves I had gathered in the garden! At the end of the afternoon the sun appeared obscured by thin cloud, but there was no bright sunshine (Global solar radiation 7.64 MJ m^-2.). The evening was clear at first, but was overcast again before 21 GMT. [Rain 0.1 mm; Max 13.7C; Min 7.0C; Grass 2.8C]
3rd: Pressure 1033 mb was rising, but we had anticyclonic gloom again today. At least the drizzle had stopped and paths were dry although the grass was wet with dewdrops, probably guttation. Soil temperature was 10.1C at 5 cm and the air temperature 9.7C 1.2 m above ground inside the Stevenson screen. Pressure was high 1035 mb to the SW and there was little (SW'ly) or no wind, visibility was poor counting as mist as the relative humidity was 97%. The salt tolerant ivy-leaved scurvy grass Cochleria danica was just coming into flower along the A5025 Menai Bridge to Pentraeth road; it had plenty of salt put on during the winter! More cutting of flowering gorse along the A55 near the Britannia Bridge has been taking place. The need for cutting here seems obscure to me and anyway was being done out of season (after the end of March) when birds have started to nest. Nesting is getting earlier and gorse is a favoured habitat. More flowers had opened on the damson tree in the garden and the wild cherry flowers were just starting to open. There was plenty of birdsong around the weather station and in the wood, with declining interest in the food provided. This usually happens went birds turn to nesting activity, but they come back later. Great tits and long tailed tits have been gathering nesting material and blue tits have been inspecting nesting boxes. By afternoon the cloud was thinning becoming bright with the temperature reaching 14.8C. The sun finally broke through giving some sunshine and for a while a clear evening when brown long-eared bats were seen flying for the first time this year. Later patchy cloud encroached. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 14.8C; Min 8.0C; Grass 4.6C]
4th: With partially clear skies fog form after midnight and was thickest between 04 and 06 GMT. By dawn it was clearing and at 09 GMT these was very good visibility of >40 km. Pressure 1029 mb was falling as the high 1031 mb over the SW Approaches declined. Complex low-pressure to the N was expected to move S to bring colder arctic air and wintry showers over the next few days, such are the vagaries of the weather. Hopefully, there will not be frosts to affect flowers on the fruit trees that are just appearing. The sky was beginning to clear and the day turned mostly sunny. Mist off the sea affected the west coast and western Menai Strait during the afternoon, but here it kept sunny. Two small tortoiseshell butterflies were seen around the garden. Later cloud encroached as the wind veered N'ly and there was showery rain from 1830-2100 GMT as a cold front moved S. (Solar radiation 12.70 MJ m^-2. Valley 2.9h) [Rain 1.9 mm; Max 13.8C; Min 8.1C; Grass 6.0C]
5th: There were a few clear spells overnight and the grass minimum fell to -2.3C. After a spell of rain between 0500-0530 GMT on another cold front heading S the sky started to clear just before 09 GMT. Pressure 1020 mb was falling with low 998 mb over the Baltic and high 1045 mb Greenland. We were in a brisk and showery N'ly airstream. The sky further cleared giving sunny spells in the morning with cumulus clouds in the vicinity. The afternoon had mostly clear sky overhead, a line of stratocumulus clouds persisted over the Snowdonia Mountains. During the evening cloud began to move in off the Irish Sea and we had a moderately heavy shower of 5-7 mm snow pellets at 2210 GMT almost covering the ground but quickly melting. [Rain 1.5 mm; Max 8.8C; Min 2.3C; Grass -2.3C]
6th: Bright with sunny spells with hail and or snow lying on the Snowdonia Mountains, including Moel Eilio and summits westward. Further showers of small snow pellets (1-3 mm) soon melting on the ground here with further light accumulations above 400 ft on the mountains. Pressure 1010 mb was falling and showers were moving in off the Irish Sea on the light to moderate N'ly wind. Opening the door to the garden before 09 GMT to do the observations it sounded like summer with the chorus of birdsong including chiffchaff, and blackbirds singing particularly strongly with females sitting on eggs in early nests, but the temperature of 1.7C told a different story. The overnight minimum temperature was -0.1C, lowest of the month and only air frost. There were frequent showers of snow pellets and a few flurries of snow (1340 and 1555 GMT) through the day, but insufficient here to lie on the ground. In between there were spells of sunshine and with the temperature reaching 5.5C, lowest in April since 2000 and 4th lowest since before 1979, it felt cold in the persistent force 3/5 N'ly wind. Early in the day in the west of Anglesey there was snow lying in Brynsiencyn and sufficient at Trearddur Bay for children to build snowmen; parts of England had several centimetres with snow was reported on the beach in Brighton. Snow closed Gatwick Airport and there were problems clearing runways at Heathrow and a shortage of de-icing fluid for aircraft. The day's maximum temperature 5.7C was the lowest of the month. [Rain 0.5 mm; Max 5.7C; Min -0.1C; Grass -2.5C]
7th: A band of showers moved in off the Irish Sea after midnight and there was a shower of snow pellets and snow around 0130 GMT, but the air temperature did not fall below 0.5C. Temperature on the grass dropped to -3.8C, lowest in April since 2006. It was a fine morning with sunny spells with snow lying on the mountains as low as 1000 ft near Llyn Ogwen. The temperature at 09 GMT had risen to 5.7C and and attributed to past 24-h was ranked 5th lowest in April since 1979. Pressure 1004 mb was falling slowly and there was a force 3/4 NNE'ly wind. The day was marked by sunshine and showers, mostly light snow pellets here missing out on any heavy ones that occurred further west. Towering cumulus , or cumulonimbus with precipitation were seen in the vicinity such as in the photo moving to the left (S) across central Anglesey. The MODIS Aqua satellite image (below right) captured at 1340 GMT shows the development of the convective clouds over Ireland and the west, with a line of cumulonimbus off Anglesey. Clouds coloured blue stand out against the green of the land surface in this image using sensor channels 7-2-1. Marine open celled convection can be seen to the north-west of Ireland. Another was the earlier NOAA 18 image at 1224 GMT showing the convective clouds over Anglesey and Wales . After the showers passed over the mountains clouds of advection fog formed over the summits, this was seen well on Mynydd Perfedd and Elidir Fawr at 1235 GMT , but was on Carnedd Dafydd as well. Between the mountains standing out because of the snow the 'buzzard eyed', we have no eagles, will have spotted the Marchlyn Mawr reservoir the upper storage reservoir of the Dinorwic Pump Storage Station. The rim of the reservoir is about 2100 ft above sea level. The station within the mountain Elidir Fawr was commissioned in 1984 and is the largest of its kind in Europe. Towards evening the showers died out and the sky cleared with frost on the grass. [Rain 2.6 mm; Max 9.5C; Min 0.5C; Grass -3.8C]
8th: After midnight cloud moved across and there were showers of snow pellets and unknown precipitation from 0300 to 0600 GMT. The temperature at the start of precipitation was 1.5C and it is likely it would included