"Alex Stephens Jr" wrote :
"Mike Tullett" wrote:

One thing that could be a factor is sea temperatures. The North Sea,
Irish Sea and Channel must be colder than usual, and will take some time
to warm up. That could make a cold spring more likely.

I'm reminded of Gordon Manley's words at the end of February 1963:

"and it looks like nearly seven chances out of eight
that March will be appreciably colder than normal."
:-)

Wise words. And with it almost certain to be the coldest winter in this
area since 1978/79 - which had a very cold Spring, I'm inclined to think
this Spring will be the coolest in quite a few years.

Ah, but Mike's point, I think, is that March 1963 was pretty average,
temperature-wise.

Philip