Lauren Rogers wrapped up warm and looking forward to the first BBQ of the year but not with the cold weather that the country has been having compared with last years warm spring. Picture: James Bass

Cold weather continues to bite - but this time last year we had temperature highs of 20C.

LAUREN ROGERS Saturday, March 23, 2013
12:41 PM

This time last year, we were cooking on barbecues in the midst of a March heatwave.

Temperatures were averaging 8C and reached a positively balmy 21C over the Easter weekend.

This year, the arrival of spring has been a far chillier affair with thermometers barely creeping over 3C. We have needed thermals, hats, gloves and scarves to face the freezing winds and bitter cold.

Yesterday, as forecasters warned this month could be the coldest March in 50 years, the Met Office issued a yellow warning of snow for the East of England.

Snow is causing problems across the UK. Here in East Anglia, we might escape the worst – but we won’t be lighting barbecues just yet.

“We are certainly having a cold spell compared to last year which was particularly warm,” said Steve Weston, forecaster with UEA-based Weatherquest.

“Neither are wildly out of the ordinary, but you will feel the difference if you can remember this time last year when temperatures were reaching 20-21C (68-72F) over the Easter weekend.”

“The situation at the moment is that there is a large area of high pressure across eastern Europe and that is creating a very cold easterly wind.”

While the Met Office has told people to brace themselves for the risk of snow, Mr Weston said Norfolk should escape the worst of what is being forecast with the west of the region more likely to see snow and the Broads, Great Yarmouth and east coast seeing “very little or none at all”.

With or without the white stuff, bitter cold and bracing wind is sure to affect people’s weekend plans.

Sue Telford, of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden in South Walsham, near Acle, hopes it will not put people off today’s Early Riser event, with visitors arriving at 6am to experience the quiet woodland garden at dawn.

“The cold does have implications,” said Ms Telford, “but when you run outdoor events it’s always weather dependent. I keep an eye on the forecast, but I try not to worry about it too much. We plough on regardless.”

Costessey Park Golf Club in Old Costessey, near Norwich, has also endured the inclement March weather. The course was closed on March 13 due to snow, but yesterday saw plenty of players on the green.

“There are lots of hardy golfers out playing,” said Gary Stangoe, golf director at the club.

“The cold doesn’t put everybody off. It does affect business, but it’s sporadic. We have a few quiet days, then we’re busy again despite the weather.”

While there is time for the weather to improve before the start of the cricket season on April 5, this long drawn out winter is still causing havoc for footballers.

Lowestoft Town FC had six consecutive postponements in January because of snow, frozen and waterlogged pitches and after their game at Thurrock was postponed on Tuesday, they now have five games in hand on the leaders of the Ryman League Premier Division.

They must play their final 13 games of the season in the space of five weeks between now and April 27.

5 comments

A hypothesis scientists like those named by nrg follows. That the actions of mankind have lead to the reduction in the amount of winter ice in the Arctic. If there is less ice then the Arctic Ocean and air masses above the north pole will be cooled by the water no longer locked up as ice. By how much? One or two degrees. The Met Office would say that a change of one or two degrees downwards means precipitation is more likely to fall as snow rather than rain. All this must be put in perspective. The difference between the warmer air to the south west of Britain and cooler air to the north east of that air mass is far greater than the one or two degrees which, according to the hypothesis above, may be attributable to climate change..

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Capri

Sunday, March 24, 2013
*** ". 50 years ago according to climatologists, there was a fear we were about to enter a mini ice age. " ***. Not true....just how many more times will this discredited myth be given an outing ? The fact is that around 1970 there were 6 times as many scientists predicting a warming rather than a cooling planet. Google " Killing the myth of the 1970s global cooling scientific consensus " for the facts.

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LARSON.E. WHIPSNADE

Sunday, March 24, 2013
Capri, you are either on Planet Zog or are in a job that is funded by taxpayers to promote global warming or climate change. Or of course you are just trying to wind people up? Such enthusiasts always explain everything on so called Global Warming regardless of what it is. 50 years ago according to climatologists, there was a fear we were about to enter a mini ice age. That was an equally daft idea and was of course, the reason for any weather change then. The climate has always varied - get over it.

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andy

Saturday, March 23, 2013
Global warming means more extreme weather. Very mild March 2012 and very cold March 2013, when compared to 30 year averages. This is for much of Europe, not just Norfolk. It is global warming. Today there is little snow in east Norfolk but loads in other parts of England.

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Capri

Saturday, March 23, 2013
Dr David Viner,Professor Phil Jones,Professor Keith Briffa,Dr Clare Goodess your predictions on our climate change in Norfolk, have took one hell of beating...hand back our cash!!!!

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nrg

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Cold weather continues to bite - but this time last year we had temperature highs of 20C.

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