March 1997
With winds often from the south-west, Fair Isle experienced a very mild (+1.2° Celsius), dull (84.7%) and wet (145.9%) March.
The month began with severe south-west gales and periods of heavy rain as an intense depression, tracking ENE'ly, passed just to the north of Shetland. A pressure rise of 11.5 mb/3 hr was recorded at 1800 UTC on the 2nd. The weather then became cooler with a westerly gale bringing a mixture of wintry showers and clear spells on the 3rd. The 4th saw a temporary respite from the gales but, by the 5th, southerly gales again brought rain and milder conditions to the north.
A very deep Atlantic low, moving rapidly north-east, brought a windy day on the 7th. High pressure developing over the UK by the 8th brought a mainly dry weekend. As this high drifted east into the continent, Atlantic fronts crossed Shetland bringing further south-westerly gales and spells of rain. As a low moved east into northern Scandinavia on the 13th, a cold north to north-easterly airflow developed over Shetland.
A warm front, obstructed by the cold air, became slow-moving close to Fair Isle during the 13th - giving Shetland a covering of wet snow. The cold conditions, with overnight frosts and a snow cover over the hills - with patchy snow at lower levels from time to time - lasted through until the 16th.
A depression developing to the west of the Hebrides on the 18th drifted slowly north to be centred near Faeroe by the following day - bringing dull and misty conditions with spells of heavy rain and strong east to south-east winds. As this low drifted east across Shetland the weather again turned cooler, with a weak ridge then building to give a fine and sunny day across the Northern Isles on the 21st.
The next few days saw milder conditions, as a succession of Atlantic frontal troughs become slow-moving across the north of Scotland. After the 25th Icelandic depressions, tracking east into the Norwegian Sea, drove their fronts east across Shetland binging rain and strong to gale force south-west to westerly winds. A pressure fall of 11.0 mb/3 hr was recorded at 0800 UTC on the 26th. As the depression responsible for this fall moved away east into Norway on the 27th, wintry showers returned as the strong to gale force westerly winds veered into the north-west.
An anticyclone then moving quickly from the Atlantic into south-western England resulted in mild south-westerly winds developing across northern districts - with weak frontal troughs affecting the Northern Isles during the last few days of the month.
 | Daily Data |
| Weather Diary |
1997 Day 1974-96 1997 Day 1974-96 Mean Max Temperature 7.1 6.0 Highest Max temp 10.3 31 10.9 Mean Min Temperature 4.3 3.1 Lowest Min temp -0.2 15 -5.0 Mean Sea Temperature 7.6 6.8 Lowest grass minimum -1.0 16 -12.5 30 cm Earth temperature 5.3 4.6 Days with ground frost 3 10.1 100cm Earth temperature 5.5 5.0 Days with air frost 1 3.4 Total Rainfall (mm) 120.7 82.7 Days with snow/sleet 8 12.6 Wettest Day (mm) 16.6 17 13.8 Days snow cover at 09hr 0 2.8 Rain Days ( 0.1mm +) 24 22.9 Days with hail 10 12.0 Wet Days (0.9mm +) 22 17.0 Days fog during 24hrs 2 3.9 Total sunshine, hrs 81.5 96.2 Days with fog at 09hrs 0 0.7 Sunniest day, hrs 7.9 21 9.5 Days with NIL sun 10 7.5 Mean wind speed, kts 19.3 19.0 Days with gale 9 7.9 Maximum gust, kts 67 2 66.6 Days with thunder 0 0.6 Mean Sea Level pressure 1012.1 1007.3 Days with aurora 3 4.1 Wind Direction% North 10.7 10.2 S. West 35.7 18.4 N. East 3.6 4.8 West 17.9 18.4 East 7.1 9.4 N. West 3.6 10.5 S. East 14.3 16.5 South 17.9 21.4 CALM 0.0 1.2
1| Cool with the temperature around 4° Celsius and scattered showers overnight, then dry for a time but rain and drizzle - heavy at times - from 0945 UTC. A wet afternoon with patchy low stratus and the F6-7 SW'ly wind increasing gale F8 1550 -1625 UTC. The visibility falling to 4500 m at times during the afternoon. The temperature slowly rising during the day to around 8° Celsius by evening.
2| Becoming brighter and clearer overnight with the drizzle giving way to showers with the F6 SSW'ly wind increasing F7 to gale F8 by 0500 UTC. Gale continuous from 0820 UTC, increasing severe gale F9 at 1020 UTC. The temperature falling to 4° to 5° Celsius by morning with some of the showers - heavy at times - wintry with sleet and small hail. Wind increasing storm F10 1130-1230 UTC, gusting 67 kt and veering 210° to 240° at 1255 UTC. Wind WNW'ly F7 to gale F8 during the afternoon with frequent blustery showers, some moderate and wintry. The cloud becoming broken and the showers less frequent during the evening, the wind easing F6-7. Pressure rising quickly during the afternoon and evening with a rise of 11.5 mb/3 hr at 1800 UTC.
3| Variable amounts of cloud overnight with scattered showers - wintry at times with small hail. Wind WSW to W'ly F6-7, increasing gale F8 0047-0057 UTC. Further showers during the morning, some moderate with hail and sleet. The shower activity easing in the afternoon, but becoming frequent, heavy and wintry for a time during the early evening.
4| Broken cloud, scattered showers and a F5-6 SW'ly wind in the early hours. The wind backing SSW'ly and thickening medium level cloud for a time, this then dispersing to give a sunny end to the morning. The wind SF5-6 S'ly with variable amounts of high and medium level cloud during the afternoon increasing by evening.
5| Cloudy overnight with thickening medium level cloud and a F6-7 S'ly wind, increasing gale F8 0120-0130 UTC. Rain, soon becoming moderate, from 0830 UTC with the wind gradually veering SSW'ly. The precipitation becoming intermittent after midday with the wind soon veering W'ly and easing F4. Clear sky visible to the SW with Cu2 and Ci3 just above the horizon. Showers developing after 1600 UTC, some moderate. Further showers and clear spells during the evening with moderate small hail showers between 2200-2300 UTC. A strong aurora glow visible low over Ward Hill at 2354 UTC.
6| A F6 WSW'ly wind, variable amounts of cloud and scattered showers - occasional small hail - early. Showers dying out to give a dry morning with the wind backing SSW'ly. A sunny day despite extensive amounts of high cloud. The wind increasing F6-7 and backing S'ly during the afternoon, increasing gale F8 from 1910 UTC. Some intermittent light rain during the evening.
7| A cloudy, mild and dry night with a S to SSW'ly gale - increasing severe gale F9 0135-0140 UTC. Wind easing F7 at 0340 UTC, moderating F5 by dawn. Rain from early afternoon, moderate at times. Wind veering WSW'ly after 1400 UTC and W'ly after 1600 UTC - moderating F3-4. By late evening the rain had ceased and the cloud had become well broken - with a strong aurora glow visible to the north at 2350 UTC. A mild day with moderate visibility improving good during the evening.
8| A mostly clear night and sunny morning with a light rain shower around dawn. A F4-5 WSW to W'ly wind backing SW'ly through the morning and SSW'ly in the afternoon. High cloud thickening during the afternoon and evening, then dispersing later. Visibility good at 20 km.
9| A dry day. Clear overnight and sunny during the morning - though with extensive high cloud. Cloudy for a time during the early afternoon as stratocumulus spread in. Wind SSW to SW'ly F4-5 at first, backing S'ly early in the afternoon. Visibility 20-25 km.
10| Becoming cloudy overnight with extensive stratus developing by 0600 UTC. Also becoming misty with the visibility falling from 25 km to 3500 m by 0800 UTC as the F3 S'ly wind eased to a F2. The stratus breaking during the morning, with the visibility improving to 18 km and the wind veering SSW'ly and increasing F3-4. A sunny afternoon, the stratocumulus cloud then increasing to give a cloudy evening with light drizzle by the end of the period.
11| Cloudy at first with some light drizzle, but well broken cloud by 0600 UTC with the F5 SW'ly wind veering W'ly and easing F4, later backing SW'ly. A sunny morning and early afternoon before high cloud spreading in from the SW thickened to medium level cloud. Wind falling calm for a time during the afternoon before picking up from the SE - increasing F5 by the end of the evening. Visibility 15 km in the early precipitation, soon improving to 20 km.
12| A dry night, but becoming misty by dawn with the visibility falling from 20 km to 2500-4000m. Cloud becoming well broken by 0600 UTC - no stratus on the hill - and the fresh SE'ly wind veering SSW'ly and easing F4. Very little low cloud, but high level cloud becoming extensive during the morning. Extensive stratus cloud developing soon after midday, with intermittent rain and drizzle from 1215 UTC. The stratus base lowering to give fog soon after 1600 UTC., with the South Lighthouse foghorn audible from 1815 UTC. During the afternoon the wind veered SW'ly, gradually increasing F5 by 1800 UTC. Later in the evening the wind veered W'ly. Continuing mild.
13| Becoming cooler as the W'ly wind veered WNW'ly F3 at 0140 UTC - the temperature falling from 8.0° Celsius at midnight to 5.3 ° Celsius by 0600 UTC. Outbreaks of rain becoming persistent and, for a time, moderate in intensity, with the F3-4 wind veering N'ly during the morning. As the temperature continued to fall the precipitation turned to heavy rain and snow by midday. A cold afternoon with the wind veering NE'ly and increasing F6 by the end of the afternoon. The visibility - after early fog - around 15 km, but falling to 2500 m in sleet during the afternoon. With the temperature falling to around 1° Celsius the sleet turned to wet snow during the evening.
14| Early light snow soon dying out. A cloudy morning with a medium level overcast at first - with cumulus/stratocumulus cloud spreading in by 0900 UTC. Rain and snow from late morning - turning to light snow during the afternoon with a thin snow cover above 400 ft by 1700 UTC and a little lying snow (20% cover) at station level (200 ft) by 1800 UTC. Further snow, together with air temperatures falling to near freezing, during the evening resulted in 1 cm of lying snow by 2200 UTC. A cold day with the wind E to ENE'ly, F4 at first easing F2-3 by dawn, then backing NNE to NE'ly later in the afternoon and falling calm by late evening . Visibility generally good at 30 km, but falling to 1500 m in snow during the evening.
15| A cold though cloudy night with further snow, but no further increase to the 1 cm of lying snow at station level - though above 400 ft there appeared to be a 'significant' (4-5 cm?) snow cover. At station level the cover had thawed to <50% cover by 0800 UTC and nil by 1100 UTC although a snow cover persisted above 300 ft. Another cold day, calm at first but the wind increasing F4-5 NNE'ly by 0600 UTC. Becoming brighter during the afternoon as the lower cloudsheet broke as much drier air spread in (Dp to 7° Celsius by 1800 UTC) ground surface freezing during the evening. Visibility 30 km.
16| Cloudy and dry - with a ground frost - for the most part overnight, but light snow falling by 0600 UTC (no accumulation despite the ground being frozen). Lying snow did cover >50% of the ground (depth <1cm) at times between 0630-0730 UTC, but was less than half cover at 0900 UTC. Snow cover was continuous from some 200 m west of the station with an estimated 5 cm on the higher slopes of Ward Hill. The (wet) snow, moderate at times and briefly turning to rain and snow during the late morning/early afternoon, continued through until the early evening. Visibility 30 km early, falling to 2500 m in snow, and then improving to 25 km in the evening. Wind E'N F3 soon increasing F5, easing F4 during the evening. A cold day, but becoming a little milder during the evening.
17| Cloudy with light rain at times overnight - an ENE'ly wind veering ESE'ly by morning. Remaining cloudy with some light showers during the morning. A wet afternoon with a SE'ly wind increasing F7 by 1700 UTC. The visibility, 30-40 km at first, falling to 6 km by the same time. A wet evening with a F7 SE'ly wind and 4000 m visibility.
18| A wet night with a F6-7 SE'ly wind veering S'ly and easing F4 by dawn. Visibility 4000 m at first, improving 20 km during the morning as the rain ceased and the low stratus dispersed - the wind easing further and veering SW to WSW'ly. Sunny by late morning with extensive high cloud and small cumulus developing over Fair Isle during the early afternoon as the island warmed. Wind generally light and variable in direction during the afternoon. A fine start to the evening with a F2 NW'ly wind, but cloudy with drizzle by midnight - the wind having veered N'ly.
19| Cloudy, with some rain and drizzle overnight. The wind, a light N'ly at first, suddenly increasing F5 at 0015 UTC and veering ESE'ly by 0600 UTC. A cloudy morning, dry at first but with adjacent showers reported - the showers reaching Fair Isle by late morning. Remaining cloudy with a mixture of showers or longer periods of rain and drizzle during the afternoon, with the wind veering SE'ly and increasing F5-6, later veering SSE to S'ly. At 1720 UTC the wind veered from 200° to 270°, at the same time easing F3. With the back-edge of the cloud sheet appearing above the SW horizon there was some weak sunshine at this point. Frequent rain showers developed during the evening as the W'ly wind increased F5-6. Visibility generally 20 km to 30 km, falling to 10 km at times in the precipitation.
20| Variable amounts of cloud, an scattered rain showers overnight - the F5-6 W'ly wind veering N'ly and easing F4-5 by morning. During the morning the showers, moderate at times, turned wintry with small hail at times. The visibility, 15 km at first, soon improved to 30 km. By midday, with the wind backing NW'ly F5-6, the showers were becoming less frequent. A mixture of sunny spells and scattered light showers - with a few flakes of wet snow around 1600 UTC - for the afternoon. At 1610 UTC the wind veered from 320° to be 010° by 1625 UTC. Following this wind change the air became cooler and drier with the showers dying out as the cloud became well broken. No aurora visible - despite well broken cloud.
21| A cold night with well broken cloud leading to a ground frost and a few early showers of snow and small hail - with a <50% cover on frozen ground by 0600 UTC. A fine, sunny morning though with thin high cloud spreading in later. The high cloud thickening during the afternoon a moderate halo visible 1200-1400 UTC to medium level cloud by 1700 UTC. By this time the wind had veered SE'ly remaining light. Visibility very good up to 60 km by late morning in the dry F2-3 NE'ly wind. During the afternoon, with the air temperature around 4.5° to 5.0° Celsius, dew points down to 4.9° Celsius were reported (55% RH). By late evening, with the SE'ly wind increasing F5, it was raining with a stratus overcast.
22| Overnight rain becoming intermittent by 0600 UTC and dry by 0700 UTC. Remaining cloudy - though the lower cloud breaking to a medium level overcast for a time during the afternoon. Wind SE'ly F5 early easing F3-4 by dawn and veering S'ly during the morning - the visibility improving from 10 km to 25 km at the same time. Rain and drizzle from mid-afternoon - the wind backing SE'E and increasing F4. The visibility falling to 3200 m in the precipitation - with extensive stratus developing on the hill. The precipitation became intermittent during the evening, with the visibility improving a little.
23| Cloudy overnight with drizzle at times and a F3-4 SE'ly wind. Remaining cloudy, but dry during the morning and early afternoon, then rain and drizzle from 1700 UTC - moderate at times. Wind becoming variable in direction around the middle of the day but generally SSW F3 by evening. A mild, damp day with variable amounts of low orographic stratus. Also misty with the visibility between 2000 m and 8 km.
24| A dry, cloudy and hazy night with a F3 S'ly wind increasing F4 SE'ly by 0600 UTC. Persistent light rain from soon after 0700 UTC with the SE'ly wind increasing F5. By late morning, despite the light rain and low stratus, the visibility increased from 4500 m to 10 km by midday. The rain, moderate at times, continued through the afternoon with the wind gradually veering S'ly and easing F4. For a time during the early evening the visibility fell to 800 m in moderate rain and drizzle and low stratus. As this precipitation eased the wind veered WSW'ly F4. After 2100 UTC the sky quickly cleared - with a cloudless sky by midnight (no aurora observed). With a high of 6.8° Celsius Fair Isle reported the lowest daytime maximum temperature in the UK.
25| A fine, mild night - cloudless at first, but with a medium level cloud overcast and light intermittent rain by 0600 UTC. By the same time the earlier F4 SW'ly wind had backed S'ly and increased F6. During the morning the precipitation became moderate at times, and heavy just before midday. Visibility fell from 20 km overnight to 1800 m in the heavier precipitation. The heavy rain continued into the afternoon - with the S'ly wind veering SSW'ly and increasing F7. Soon after 1300 UTC the precipitation turned showery and, as the wind eased F5-6 and veered WSW'ly at 1500 UTC the cloud became well broken. Visibility also improved to 15 km.
26| A wet night with a F7 S'ly wind and visibility around 3000 m. Pressure falling very quickly during the morning - 11.0 mb/3 hr at 0800 UTC. At 1020 UTC heavy rain gave way to heavy showers - the wind veering WSW'ly and increasing to gale F8 at 1040 UTC. The visibility improved to 15 km. By the end of the morning the showers also included small hail. Soon after midday the wind veered WSW'ly, increasing severe gale F9 1222-1235 UTC with gusts to 65 kt Further showers during the afternoon - heavy at times with small hail - continuing through the evening. The WSW'ly gale also continued.
27| Further frequent showers overnight - some moderate with small hail. The gale F8, occasionally severe gale F9 at times in the early hours, easing gale F8-F7 after 0500 UTC. Some sunny spells during the morning, but also small hail showers - these tending to die out during the afternoon, when the W'ly wind also eased F6-7. Visibility generally 12 km to 15 km, but falling to 5000 m at times in the earlier, heavier showers. Further showers during the evening as the f6-7 wind veered WNW'ly.
28| Another windy day with a F6-7 WNW to NW'ly wind. Frequent showers, some with small hail, during the morning and afternoon but dying out during the evening. Visibility 15 km. Strong aurora arch and the comet visible at 2350 UTC.
29| Clear at first, but soon clouding over with rain and drizzle by morning. The F6 WNW'ly wind backing and easing F4 W'ly with the visibility falling to 3000 m by the same time. Becoming drier during the afternoon with the visibility improving to 15 km and the W'ly wind increasing F5. Some sunny spells later in the afternoon as the lower cloud cleared to medium and high level cloud with a moderate halo observed at 1500 UTC. Further rain and drizzle during the evening - the visibility falling to 3500 m and the wind increasing F6.
30| A cloudy day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle and a F7 WSW'ly wind. Visibility generally 12 km, but falling to 3500 m in drizzle at times.
31| Some drizzle overnight then a bright day - mostly cloudy but some sun shine as the lower cloud became broken from time t time. This lower cloud was lenticular like stratocumulus during the morning. In the afternoon roll-like lines of stratocumulus aligned at right-angles to the wind direction moved W to E. The cloud then thickened to give outbreaks of rain by 1600 UTC, with the evening overcast with rain and drizzle. The wind was SW to WSW'ly F6-7 increasing gale F8 1137-1203 UTC and 1330-1340 UTC. Visibility 10 km to 15 km, falling to 4000 m in precipitation.
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