MARCH was a marvellous month - dry, warm and very sunny. After a sunny January and one of the sunniest Februarys, we have now had the sunniest March since reliable records have been kept, that is, for at least 100 years.

There was twice the normal sunshine and more than in any month since May 2001. It is incredible that we exceeded that of many summer months, especially when you consider that in both June and July, there is half as much daylight again than in March.

There were no very high temperatures. The warmest I measured was around 16C (61F), well short of the highest in any March in my 20 years of observations here at Carlton, near Stokesley. This was 19.5C (67F) in 1990.

The consistent mildness during the day was astonishing, with the average figure being easily my warmest. During the last ten days, the mean maximum was almost 15C (59F) - what we expect in May.

Owing to the many calm, clear nights from the 12th, the mercury dropped rapidly in the evenings, giving frequent frosts. So, night-time temperatures were near the norm and overall it was the mildest March since only 1997.

There were some remarkable differences between day and night levels, the greatest that I logged being 18.3C (33F) on the 19th.

Additionally, with negligible rainfall after the 12th, it was dry. There was generally between a quarter and two-thirds of the usual total, though it was my driest March since just 2000 - and that of 2002 was only a little wetter. Over low ground, there was no sleet or snow. In my data for March, 1997 was the sole example in which this had happened. With low humidity too, the soil soon dried out.

Most people have mown their lawn at least once this spring. In how many years have we had such a large choice of days in which to do this first cut and then not have to clean a scrap of mud off the mower? I don't remember such a good start to the gardening year.

Unlike cold winter or hot summer months, we don't appreciate a spring or autumn month with exceptional temperatures, as it is similar to an ordinary month before or following it. However, combined with the sunshine and the dryness, I think everyone agrees that this March was special.

What a contrast with that of 1947. No, I don't remember it, but I gather it was as wicked as the worst of winter months - therefore, the complete opposite of this year's.

This year, after an agreeable February, things were looking more changeable at the turn of the month as the persistent high that had given the fine weather started to lose its grip. Weather systems crossed the country every two or three days from the south-west, but were mainly weak, giving small amounts of rain. Between the fronts, it was still sunny at times. Also, as the wind remained from a southerly quarter, it was reasonably warm too, so even then, there was a hint of spring in the air.

On Saturday the 8th, an extremely deep depression developed in mid-Atlantic with a pressure in its centre down to 928mb (about 27.5ins), probably a record for March in the North Atlantic. As it moved away, northerlies, the first this year, swung down behind it, and it turned much colder.

Pleasingly, another high quickly replaced it and settled down over the country by the Thursday night. This influenced our weather for the rest of the month.

A very temporary breakdown in the dry spell occurred early on Monday the 24th. A line of showers, which had developed over northern Spain on the Saturday, worked their way north. Some places had quite a downpour briefly, but others, as at Carlton, had just a few spots. Amazingly, and as if to emphasise how forward the seasons are this year, this pattern of events was similar to that which brings thundery outbreaks during our summers.

Mixed in with the air mass that accompanied these showers was a cloud of dust that originated in the Sahara Desert a few days earlier. Some of this was brought down in the rain. So, if you'd washed your car over that weekend and wondered why it was covered in faint, pale buff "dust splashes", this was the cause.

There was some more in the light rain early on the first of April. The source this time was probably local. With everywhere being so dry, the dust was readily whipped up in the strong winds that preceded the rain.

Of course, all this begs the question, have we been making up for the relatively poor weather over the past nine months or so, or will we pay for this superb weather later in the year?

MARCH TEMPERATURES & RAINFALL at CARLTON IN CLEVELAND

Mean max 12.1C, 54F (+2.8C, +5F)

Mean min 2.4C, 36.5F (-0.2C, -0.5F)

Highest max 15.9C, 60.5F, 23rd

Lowest min -2.9C, 27F, 19th

Total rainfall 22mm, 0.9ins (-26mm, -1.0ins)

Wettest day 9mm, 0.35ins, 10th

No of rain days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more 10 (-4)

(Figures in brackets show the difference from the 20-year mean, 1984-2003)