Will March be frost free?

Mothman

After the frostiest February in my records with 12 air frosts, I've had none in March so far to 23rd. Min 1.2C on 10th.
This is 9th March recording and have never failed to record an air frost with least being 2 in 2000 but as many as 7 in 2003.

Looking forward it could well remain frost free till end of month although an air frost can easily sneak in, with a possibility on Wednesday night.

ninebeanrows

Or tonight, or tomorrow night?

I am very surprised there hasnt been a frost, has been a relatively cool month.

Mothman

Weathercheck wrote: »

I am very surprised there hasnt been a frost, has been a relatively cool month.

This being why I created thread.

The cold nights of the 18th anf 19th were during north easterlies and this kept temperatures well above zero here, being 1.5k from sea.

The mean so far is 7.5C which is bang on average for the last 8 years, the highest being 8.4C(2005), lowest 6.2C(2001)

Paddy.1

I think it goes to show what a breezy month it was in general despite being a "relatively cool" month. Coastal locations like your own especially would have suffered because of this. I managed 4 air frosts being inland but still below average amount due to lack of calm nights rather than potential i think.

Mothman

Yes, Paddy that is a very relevant point, and there is a strong possibility that it'll be windiest March in my records.

I mentioned elsewhere recently that I've only had one frost free April (2001), though Feb and Dec 2002 were both air frost free as well.

Supercell

Mothman wrote: »

This being why I created thread.

The cold nights of the 18th anf 19th were during north easterlies and this kept temperatures well above zero here, being 1.5k from sea.

The mean so far is 7.5C which is bang on average for the last 8 years, the highest being 8.4C(2005), lowest 6.2C(2001)

I just about had two air frosts those nights a little further inland (-0.2 and - 0.1) a few miles further inland from you, and came close (0.2) on the 3rd.

This winter was poor, the large amount of February frosts are no compensation for that, most of them were under high 850's, proper winter cold was always a long long way away this year.

I don't see things improving any time soon either.

Mothman

New min for the month, but still above zero. 1.0C

Wednesday night still looks most likely for a frost.

Snowbie

Mothman wrote: »

New min for the month, but still above zero. 1.0C

Wednesday night still looks most likely for a frost.

0.9c was my min for the month and that was from the cold air being dragged down in the whiteout conditions here on the 3rd and that during the late afternoon.

I had icycles other than frost that evening:D

Mothman

Mothman wrote: »

New min for the month, but still above zero. 1.0C

Wednesday night still looks most likely for a frost.

Came very close here last night.
The min was 0.4c

DOCARCH

I had one air frost this month on the 18th. -1.0c

Mothman

Deleted User wrote: »

Came very close here last night.
The min was 0.4c

Got even closer this morning. In fact can't get closer.
Screen Min 0.0C not an air frost.

AWS min -0.2C, the screen is the official reading.

With the upcoming unsettled period an air frost is unlikely, but with it being cool, it may only takes a couple hours calm for an air frost to sneak in and this could happen on the last night.

Mothman

Its been mentioned earlier that this March has been quite cool.
Despite the lack of frosts, I have one interesting anorak stat.
The highest daily (9h-09h) min temperature to the 27th is 7.8C.

This is quite low and if it remained at that at months end, it would rank 3rd lowest for all months in my records. Only Jan 2001 (6.7C) and Feb 2006 (7.6C) have had lower highest daily minimum temperature

Not about air frosts, but thought worth mentioning here.

ozchick

Can I ask a dumb question?:rolleyes: Airfrosts? We get winter frosts back home, crunchy white grass, white roofs and lovely crisp air which guarantees a great day, but I haven't heard of airfrosts.

Snowbie

We clasify airfrosts when the temp is below 0C (32F). -0.0 is an airfrost.
Ground frost can form at (air temp) 4c albeit slight.

Air temp is measured at 4 feet above the ground, so if 0c at 4 foot it be guaranteed that at ground it be significantly lower.

Mothman

AS Snowbie says, a term for when air temperature as measured in screen 1.2m above ground falls below 0C. It isn't a visible observation
Surface temperatures such as grass, cars etc often fall many degrees lower than air tempaerature, so there can be a visible frost despite air temperature above zero.

Mothman

If it was short month, it would be frost free or indeed if Feb had only 28 days. Last air frost was 25th Feb.

There is still tonight....

BTW, 14 grass frosts, though only 3 were visible.

Paddy.1

Mothman wrote: »

There is still tonight....

Will be interesting to see how the air temp will pan out after that thundery low passes your area. I think you could be in with a slight chance, depending on cloud cover of course.

Mothman

Answer is YES!