Fourth wettest March on record for Isle of Man

March marked the fourth consecutive month where rainfall was above average

March was the fourth wettest since records began on the Isle of Man, meteorologists have confirmed.

Ronaldsway Met Office recorded 4.6in (11.7cm) of rain during the period compared to an average of 2.3in (6.3cm) for the month.

With rain recorded on 21 days, it was also the fourth consecutive month to have had above average rainfall.

It followed precipitation that at 13in (33.1cm) was 36% above the 30-year average during the winter months of December, January and February.

The last month of 2023 saw the highest level of rainfall of last winter with (5.9in) 14.9cm.

Mild winter

Temperatures for March were above average at 7.7C (45.9F), but sunshine hours were below with a total of 112 hours, and although wind speeds were up no gales were recorded.

While wind speeds were higher than average at 16.9mph (27.2km/h), no gales were recorded during the month.

Ronaldsway Met Office said while there were "a couple of brief cold snaps" in early December and mid-January, "on the whole the winter was mild".

Temperatures recorded averaged was 1C above the 30-year average between 1991 to 2020, but 2C above the average from the 40 years before that from 1951 to 1990.

The figures made the 2023-24 winter the sixth warmest and 12th wettest for the island since records began in 1947.

Last year saw the island record its wettest July and hottest June on record.