Diary of Highlights

1st to 4th
The month came in like a lion as severe gales brought gusts of 71 m.p.h. at Rosehearty (Aberdeenshire) in the early hours. The 2nd to the 4th was cold with sunshine and snow showers. These were heavy at times and the 3rd, 15 cm of snow arrived at Carluke (South Lanarkshire). Nearby, Salsburgh (North Lanarkshire) failed to rise above freezing point all day. Frost became severe at night with Loch Glascarnoch (Highlands) dipping to -7 °C on the evening of the 4th.

5th to 8th
Rain was heavy in the northwest on the 5th, with Cassley (Highlands) recording 39 mm by midnight. The 6th saw some rain in the west. Sunshine and showers followed on the 7th with isolated thunderstorms over Argyll and the Northwest Highlands. Heavy rain moved south-east during the morning of the 8th with brighter, showery weather following.

9th to 10th
Showers continued across the west on the 9th. Temperatures in this period were typically 10 to 13 °C. Rain, hill snow and easterly gales edged northwards on the morning of the 10th. A colder day, with a maximum temperature of only 4 °C in Glasgow.

11th to 16th
This period saw either showers or longer spells of rain with most of the rain across the south. There was also some hill snow, especially in the north. Daytime temperatures reached typically 6 to 10 °C with mostly frost-free nights.

17th to 20th
The 17th to 19th saw some wintry showers in the north-east with most other parts dry. Rain early on the 20th brought over 20 mm to parts of Argyll and the West Highlands. Meanwhile, Leuchars (Fife) had a pleasant day with temperatures reaching 15.0 °C. A windy day with a gust of 68 m.p.h. at Port Ellen (Islay).

21st to 27th
The 21st to the 26th were cold with wintry showers and even some longer spells of sleet or snow in the south on the evening of the 22nd. Lerwick recorded a gust of 72 m.p.h. on the 21st and Balmoral (Aberdeenshire) recorded 15 cm of snow on 25th. A sharp frost developed in the north overnight on the 25th with temperatures of -11.4 °C at Braemar (Aberdeenshire) and -11.1 °C at Altnaharra (Highlands). Rain and hill snow spread north later on the 26th, clearing to a sunny day on the 27th.

28th to 31st
Rain and hill snow spread north-eastwards during the morning of the 28th, this bececame confined to Shetland later. A windy day with a gust of 64 m.p.h. reported at Tiree. Showers on the 29th fell as snow on hills. Rain and strong winds spread northwards later. Showers followed on the 30th with the south becoming drier later. March then almost went out like a lamb except for some heavy rain which moved in from the west during the evening of the 31st.