Will be in the U.K. (London, Wales) and Ireland(Dublin, County Kerry) in mid March. Has anyone been there during that time? I am wondering what kind of weather to expect, and what kind of outerwear I should bring.

Oh yes. Lots of waterproofs, warm sweaters, big boots, umbrellas, gloves, hat, scarf. Expect rain mostly, some sleet or snow. Possible cold clear blue skies but not often.

What to expect - 4 months from now? All you can be sure of - whatever it is, it will change. You will need to dress in layers, take gloves/scarves, and have an umbrella/waterproof.

You could get cool/clear/brisk, or cold/wet/stormy, or even a nice day here and there.

You say &quot;London, Wales, Dublin, and County Kerry in <i>mid March</i>. Unless you mean three weeks or more, that is a lot of territory.

We had snow in the Cotswolds last March, it was freezing. You will need to wrap up very warmly, hat, scarf, gloves, warm coat, maybe thermal underwear.
Kay

Hi

You should get an idea by looking at weather stats on http://www.weatherbase.com

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

But there again it could be dry and fairly warm. It is impossible to say what March will be like. In theory it is wet and windy at the beginning and springlike at the end, but with the way the climate is now there is no standard answer. Be prepared for wet, cool, but allow for some springlike days too.

There's really no point looking up historical statistics. At any time of the year, and especially near the coast as in Wales and Kerry, the differences from year to year are immense, and the averages tell you nothing. Those differences are at their most extreme in mid-March: I've even known it snow in Kerry then, though that happens extremely rarely. Except in Wales, snow or even sleet is very unlikely: my memory is that we haven't had snow in the Cotswolds this year since early Feb.

Janisj's advice is 99% spot on, except that she - just like the British - underestimates the likelihood of fine, warmish, dry weather, and she forgets the crucial importance of shoes.

Most sightseeing in London is inside, and it's really very, very unlikely to be terribly cold. Most mid-Marches, you really only need an umbrella for the 100yd dash from tube station to museum, restaurant or whatever. I'm often in my shirtsleeves at that time of year - but while you can't get cold in mid March, even 100 yds through puddles will make your feet really miserable if you haven't got stout shoes.

Follow janisj, get good shoes and check short-term forecasts a week or two before leaving. Even then, assume the weather will be different from what the forecasts say.

I'm frequently cold in England in March. Perhaps I spend more time out of doors than flanneruk?

I remember being in London on St. Patrick's day a few years ago (17th March) and sitting outside in a t-shirt! The weather can vary hugely in March, so bring layers!

All the advice on waterproofs and umbrellas and layers and shoes is excellent.

How cold you feel is partly dependent on where you live and how warm you keep your house at home. We keep our house at 65F in the day and 60F at night, so it isn't too much of a shock to go to the UK. Friends from Florida find it very chilly at the same temperatures.

We visited London several times in March when my SIL lived there (spring break for the kids). We always had cool damp weather, but would definitely agree with recs on layering and making sure you have at least a pair of shoes that are very warm. My SIL always thought March weather was pretty unpredictable.

I'll be in London and then Amsterdam in late March and while I've never been this time of year I'm just planning on bringing lots of layers and waterproof jacket. Not so sure about the shoes -- was planning on waterproofing some shoes I already own, but not sure that will be sufficient.

Not only have I been in March I have been in February, January and other winter months. I dress no different that I do in May or June with the exception of a skull cap and gloves. I wear the same casual shoes, Docker pants, a sport shirt and a sweater. I have a zipper jacket that I take on all trips as it is the only one I own. You are not going to Russia after all, and if the weather turns nasty do what I do... Head for the nearest pub and hang out.

&gt;&gt;Head for the nearest pub and hang out.

This was my exact plan