IanR

Highly doubt it , in dec2010 we had 2 weeks of lying snow without much melt , and one particular afternoom the temp sank to -14c at 3.30pm ,If that happens in Wigan again especially in late March I will eat my hat.

Max 8c, as in last 4 days! mostly cloudy,some sunny intervals, few spots of light rain at times

Its just a matter of biding your time mushy, its on your side really, after this spell of well below average in the next week or so, any deep cold has its cards marked, yes april can still produce below average but deep cold is not really going to happen as in persistant sub zeros at night after night . I still have a feeling April might still be below average month, but I could be very wrong , but it will stll feel mild after the protracted cold spell we are enduring now , then after that 6 months of mild or even hot if the synoptics fall into place, what we dont want is a complete washout summer , even if it feels warm/humid , very few want that

whats the chance of 1969 being beaten now the models have upgraded cold for the next week or so?

yes, each to their own, cant see the fascination over cold icy weather, Then again some find me weird for being obssessed with thunderstorms, atlantic gales and heavy showers etc,

Dont worry I am hating this cold too I can see there being a very poor show of daffodils this year, the cold lovers have been moaning a lot over the winter but they have no right to, the winters of the last few 5 years or so have been going their way, but the summers are not giving the hotties what they want for the last few years,but I rarley hear them complain. The only good thing about the colder climate is keeping the flea population at bay , remember those hot humid summers of the nineties when flea infestations for dog and cat owners became rife . so the cold does have its uses.

Interesting see if that comes off, but one can only dream,(says me who hates extremes lol) but it would be good to see What was the CET for March 2006 ?

TBH I am probably basing that post on past experience and expectations rather than any scientific proof, I do think fans of hot weather have been short changed over the last several years, and people who like cold have been getting their way more so, but still with big dissapiontments , the fact that 2011 was a one of the warmest years is a bit of a red herring for fans of heat,as this, as you know was due to many cloudy mild nights during late autumn and winter, maximum summer temps were still lame.

Its looks like a lot of people have been fooled into thinking spring has arrived after yesterdays mild sunny day and temps in the mid and low teens. I think it will be a shock to some when the cold spell arrives. I for one want some warmth now, I know its only early March but I have a feeling this cold will be protracted and become tedious . Unlike last year where the spring was warm and the 'good' weather seemed to peak early, this year is very different, lets hope by late spring temperatures climb to above average for the whole of the summer season to redresss the persistant run of below average months. However , I feel this summer will be a cool one with temps in the high and mid teens a commom theme rather in the low 20's. It seems the warmies have had their fun in the ninties and early 2000's . Its the coldies turn now as the winters do seem to be getting colder and longer but the summers are lacking big heatwaves to compensate.

13c in Greater Manchester area, unbroken sun

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21598504

And thunderstormies

Summer 2006 produced some of the hottest days I have ever known, I walked out of the house one afteroon and was overwhelmed by heat and hot sunshine, very rare to feel like that in northern England!

Very snowy episodes with deep cold are rare in March , here anyway, In my 40 years I have never seen prolonged lying snow in March, Covective showers with sleet brief snow and hail yes , but tend to melt after an hour or two. Some models are showing milder spring like senarios after next week,its still all to play for , Continental air will get modified as we progress through March so deep cold is on its last legs after the next fortnight. Northerlies here in March dont really give much snow, Howver ther is always a possibility , the weather will do as it pleases

A few years ago it was snow that was rare and thunder was common, now its gone the other way for a lot of places, although lying snow is still not that common here, but niether are thunderstorms

5.9 sticking with below average

Most I know dont want very cold becuse of rising heating costs and the utility companies getting very rich off the back of it(lets not go there) , A few want snow at christmas though, personally I dont care if there was never any snow TBH, now thunderstorms and a sky full of cumoulonimbus clouds, thats my thing , as long as there are good days between so I can go cycling

Well said, although when you say' I find in bizarre people want cold' you have to rememer its only a very small minority of people in general, 99 percent of joe public want warm , well at l most of the year anyway, although I would expect more would like cold and snow at christmas, but then a good warm up come spring Thank god the UK is a mild climate most of the time,its only Dec Jan and Feb that deep severe cold can occur and June July August that baking temps can occur, I dont buy that March can deliver severe cold, cold yes, but never deep or severe as in dec2010 . Even easterlies start to get very modified by mid March by a warming continent, And as we progress on from that even northerlies become pointless Being a true mildy I like the uk temps in general, I hate very cold, but also become very moody when its too hot , if you like extremes your are in the wrong country !!

4.1c it is then beginners luck

I still think sub 4 is on the cards, this is my first guess at this game, so I would be delighted if it was just above 4

But you could say we are overdue an above average month, will not happen for Febuary, but when will we see the next comfortably above average month? How long can the sustained belows carry on in these so called warming times. I think we should have a competiton to see when the next above average month will be, I say May ! My 4.1 for Feb is looking a bit high now

just heard thunder

I am not too sure about that, most would like it if life was just a big holiday, but for day to day normal living a lot would find it uncomfortable and become irritated by it I know I would hate that heat and I am a mildy

Here here, although I dislike snow generally I am looking forward to the heavy snow event at the weekend if it happens, I love big snow to rain events, the fun of watching snow fall and sticking knowing its got its card marked, then just vanishing later as the rain moves in, the contrast is great, not sure if this is how it will actually pan out here

The notable thing has been lack of sunshine here for the two week duration of this cold spell. The persistent cloud has prevented the temps from plummeting overnight though, staying around the freezing mark but not much below, The snow has been far less impressive than dec2010 here, a much tamer spell than dec2010 all round, Looking forward to the Atlantic type weather now,