What a difference one year makes for spring in West Midlands
Twelve months ago, people were basking in the early spring sunshine, sitting out in beer gardens and lapping up the warm weather that bathed the region.
But as these contrasting picture show, the story this March has been completely different.
Taken 12 months apart, the images snapped by Express & Star photographers highlight the stark changes in the weather.
There has been no sign of the sun that saw daffodils spread across the side of the A449 Wolverhampton Road, at the junction of Holbeache Lane, near Wall Heath, last March.
A blanket of snow covered the same area this weekend, with motorists limiting their speed along the road because of the hazardous driving conditions. Meanwhile in Stafford Road, Bloxwich, the early spring sunshine 12 months ago saw daffodils starting to bloom alongside a pool off the A34.
But a year on, it was a completely different story as the dipping temperatures and snow left the same area looking like a wintry scene from a Christmas card.
In March last year, water companies across parts of England introduced hosepipe bans amid drought conditions.
At the time, forecasters said it was the sunniest March since 1929, with an average of 187 hours of sunshine over England and Wales during the month. The highest maximum temperature recorded was 23.6C (74.4) in Aberdeenshire, on March 27.
The sunny weather led to plans being drawn up that would see millions of gallons of water being transferred to drought-hit regions from rivers in wetter areas of the country to prevent future water shortages.
Surplus water from rivers and underground sources in the Midlands, Cotswolds and even Wales were pumped through pipelines or into canals to carry vital supplies to areas facing water shortages.
