31st March - Today's News: Spring Blizzards Hit Britain

For once the term blizzard is applicable with some strong winds bringing drifting and causing power disruption across Scotland and Northern Ireland overnight, with snow also falling across higher ground over much of Northern England and Wales as well. In Ireland the snow has now mainly cleared but there's still more affecting Eastern and SE Scotland this morning with a scattering of wintry showers elsewhere in Britain. No doubt more updates to post tomorrow or Friday, but for the time being:

Spring snow hits parts of north Wales

Heavy snow creates travel chaos across Scotland

Snow cuts power and transport

300 rescued from Glenshane blizzards

Thousands of homes left without power as storms wreak havoc in Northern Ireland

And here in Evesham? A bit breezy with the occasional rain shower.

In the US, Northeast storm sets records, stops traffic and makes life miserable - it's been the wettest march on record in some parts of the NE. On the other hand, for Washington DC it looks like being the first March without a freeze. But I think most would join me in preferring cold and dry to mild and wet!

The WMO is expecting El Nino to influence climate patterns to midyear (which suggests we may see a late start to the Atlantic hurricane season).

Tornado downs trees, damages cars, in Bahamas

In Pakistan, an unusually widespread hailstorm hits twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.