Very Mild and Rather Dry
Temperatures
The average maximum temperature during March 2022 in Shoreham was 13.3 Celsius (56F), and that was 2.3 Celsius (4F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 5.7 Celsius (42F), and that 1 Celsius (<2F) above the March average.
The highest temperature recorded during the month was 19.6 Celsius (67F) on the 24th, with 19.2 Celsius (66F) recorded on both the 25th and 26th. In a very mild spell of weather, which lasted from the 18th to the 29th, there were a further 8 days with maxima above 15 Celsius (59F), including 3 days with highs above 17 Celsius (63F). On many other days (12) the temperature rose to between 10 and 13 Celsius (50-55F), but on 7 days the temperature failed to rise above 10 Celsius (50F). A total of 6 of these 7 colder days occurred in the first 8 days of the month. The exception was on the 31st, when a high of 9.3 Celsius (49F) was measured. On 4 of the colder days, the maximum was below 9 Celsius (48F), but the only day when the temperature failed to reach 8 Celsius (46F) was the 6th when 7.4 Celsius (45F) occurred.
There were no particularly mild nights during March, but a minimum of 9.4 Celsius (49F) occurred on the 29th, with 9.3 Celsius (49F) recorded on both the 16th and 22nd, and 9.1 Celsius (48F) on the 1st. A further 11 nights had minima between 7 and 9 Celsius (45-48F). On 15 nights the temperature dipped below 5 Celsius (41F), but only 7 of these colder nights had minima below 3 Celsius (37F). A total of 5 of these colder nights occurred between the 14th and 21st, but the temperature only fell below 2 Celsius (36F) on 2 occasions. On the 17th, a minimum of 1.4 Celsius (34F) was observed, with 0.3 Celsius (32F) measured on the 21st.
The sea temperature was 9 Celsius (48F) through most of the month, rising to 10 Celsius (50F) during the last week of March.
Frost
No air frost occurred March, but 10 ground frosts were recorded, and that was slightly below average for the month. Apart from on the 7th, when a grass minimum of minus 1.7 Celsius (29F) occurred, all the grass frosts were logged between the 14th and 25th. On most of these ground frost nights (6) the grass frost was slight with minima higher than minus 2 Celsius (28F). However, on 3 nights it was lower, but the only night that had a grass temperature below was minus 3 Celsius (27F) was the 21st with a low of minus 3.9 Celsius (25F).
Rain
Rainfall in March amounted to 30.4 millimetres (1.2 ins.), which was around 40% below average for the month. Measurable rain fell on 8 days, which was 8 days below the average, and wet days (when 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.), or more, of rain falls) numbered 6, and that was 5 days below the average. The first day of the month was very wet, and the 14 millimetres (0.55 ins.) that fell amounted to almost half the monthly total. Further rain fell early on the 2nd, but it amounted to less than 1 millimetre (0.04 ins.) after which there was no measurable rain for the following 8 days. A brief unsettled spell occurred towards the end of the second week and around mid-month, which resulted in rain falling on most days, but with daily totals unexceptional. On the 11th, a total of 5.6 millimetres (0.22 ins.) was recorded, and on the 16th, there were 5.2 millimetres (0.2 ins.). Between the 18th and 29th, no measurable rain occurred, but light rain added 1 millimetre (0.4 ins.) to the monthly total on the 30th.
Hail
Light showers of soft hail occurred late in the morning on the 31st.
Thunder
No thunder was heard in this part of Shoreham.
Snow
A light sleet shower occurred late morning on the 31st March, which
was the first wintry precipitation since sleet and snow fell on the evening of the
28th November. Interestingly, no wintry precipitation occurred during the winter
months (December, January and February).
Wind
High pressure was dominant during much of March with pressure readings some 7 millibars above the March average. As a result, winds were much lighter than usual, and only 1 day, the 14th, had winds from the ‘prevailing’ southwesterly direction. On most days (17) winds blew from between south and east, but occasionally there were northwest or northeast winds, these mostly occurring at either end of the month. At Shoreham Airport, the only day that had gusts exceeding 30 knots (34 mph) was the 31st, when northerly gusts during the afternoon reached 37 knots (42 mph).
Fog
Low cloud descended to ground level and produced fog around mid-morning on the 1st, and patchy fog occurred early on the 28th.
Statistics for March 2022
| Reporting Site | Highest Temp | Lowest Temp | Rain Total (mm) | Wettest | Rain days |
| Shoreham A/P | 18.1 | -0.5 | 22 | 9 | 9 |
| Thorney Island | 17.9 | 1.1 | 38 | 11 | 8 |
| Gatwick A/P | 19.6 | -3.5 | 50 | 22 | 12 |
| Herstmonceux | 18.5 | 1.0 | 35 | 13 | 12 |
| Bournemouth (Hurn) | 18.7 | -2.2 | 58 | 17 | 15 |
| Middle Wallop | 18.6 | -0.9 | 63 | 19 | 12 |
| Dieppe | 18.9 | -0.2 | 23 | 9 | 9 |