Faux Spring: How long will this sunny weather last?

Most of the country enjoyed a taste of spring over the weekend, with temperatures reaching 18C in the Borders and 17C in Aberdeenshire.

I like to call this “faux spring” — that deceptive spell of warmth that tempts us into cleaning down patio sets and rushing out for bedding plants, only for frost to bite back a few days later.

Every year, we play the seasonal Hokey Cokey, with temperatures yo-yoing through March, April, and May.

The hope, of course, is that those colder dips become less frequent as the season progresses — though even June can still surprise us with a chilly night or two.

This week, temperatures won’t be extreme, but it will feel noticeably cooler — especially in the far north, where stronger winds will bring more frequent showers.

With colder air in place, some of those showers will turn wintry over hills. Nothing unusual for March, but certainly a shift from the milder weekend.

Later in the week, we may see some decent diurnal temperature ranges — meaning chilly nights but daytime highs around 10C.

In the strengthening sunshine, that should still feel pleasant enough.

Another big seasonal shift is the rapid increase in daylight. During March, we gain around four and a half minutes of extra daylight each day.

And with the clocks changing at the end of the month, sunset will stretch to between 7.45pm and 8.00pm for most of the country by March 31.

So yes, spring is on the way — but don’t be too quick to pack away the winter woollies just yet!