It was a dry and sunny March with very high average temperatures, according to the weather boffins at Rothamsted Research.

The overall air temperature was the highest ever recorded by the Harpenden centre, which has records from 1878.

The district basked in 139.9 hours of sunshine, 25 more than the average for March.

In fact, there were just three days without sunshine in the whole month.

We also enjoyed below average rainfall, with just 40.4mmm recorded for the whole month.

The most rain, 7.58mm to be exact, fell on Wednesday, March 22.

There were just two days in the whole month with more than 5mm of rain.

Temperatures were above average. The mean maximum temperature was 12.7C, which was 2.7C above the average maximum.

Mean minimum was 5C, which was 2.3C above the average minimum for this time of year.

The hottest day of the month was Thursday, March 30, with a sweltering 20C.

Sharply contrasting to the start of the month, when temperatures fell as low as 1.1C on Monday, March 6.

Despite zero air frosts, we did have to endure 15 ground frosts.