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-1.0°C it dipped down to

B87 I disagree entirely. Until about the 20th it was running warmer than an average April and there were many days in the low to mid teens Celsius including some days in the upper teens. No denying the month was springlike to me even if it was dull and wet.

1778 as already discussed went from near-record warmth 1-13 Apr to near-record cold 14-27 Apr, and had a daily average of only 2.9 on 24th which was broken in 1908 so it isn't in list of records now, but 22 April is still there (3.4 C). 1873 also had very cold days near 3 C not staying as records after 1908. I had a look to verify that no colder readings than 2.9 were broken by the 1908 and 1856 records. The 2.7 mean daily on 30 April 1945 is another case of a record low following warm April weather (record highs set 15-16 Apr). After 2.5 on 23 April 1908 the second coldest average was 3.2 in 1857 (also 3.4 in 1827). After 0.6 on 24 April 1908 the second coldest average was 2.9 in 1778 (also 3.2 in 1873). After 1.8 on 25 April 1908 the second coldest average was 3.2 in 1816, 1873 and 1950. (also 3.5 in 1829). After 0.7 on 29 April 1856 the second coldest average was 3.1 in 1782. The -0.2 of 19 April 1772 was not further ahead of 1.7 in 1849 (also 2.3 in 1793, 2.4 in 1838 and 2.5 in 1809).

Thunders Plenty of mammatus around Tittleshall

We will see, I think it will probably remain chilly most days until the 27th. After that is more uncertain, at this time of the year if you cut off the Arctic feed, suddenly easterlies can turn very warm but no sign of that yet. Looks like the chillier air may gradually dissipate but a coldish outlook overall, especially in the east.

EC 12z control has the CET finishing on 9.6C. Pretty close to the ensemble mean overall with the monthly CET dipping below 10C on the 23rd. According to this, first half CET would be 11.1C, second half would be 8.0C so quite a contrast.

12z deterministic runs, out to Wed 24 Apr (day 7) GFS can do one 12z ensemble means, out to Thu 2 May (day 15)

That's what facinates me a lot about April. The sun is as strong as late summer, so don't need a particularly warm airmass to see temperatures shoot up, but at the same time there's still a lot of cold air left in the Arctic from the winter so that can easily spill down to the UK, well into the end of month, such as that was the case in April 2016. Cold spells are more common than many ordinary folk may think for this month. Searching through the forum ( can be done like this: ( https://community.netweather.tv/search/?&q=april&type=forums_topic&quick=1&nodes=40&search_and_or=and&search_in=titles&sortby=relevancy ) and it seems April 1892 had the most insane warm to cold contrast: April 1966 had some potent spells too which if a repeat was to happen in modern days I think would be quite the shock. Also a few topics on April cold and snow falls in more recent years:

Roger J Smith I'm getting the feeling this could be one of them years Roger.

The 1908 late April cold spell set three daily CET records including 0.6 on 24 April; only 1856 (0.7 on 29 April) has any reading lower than 1.0 after the --0.2 of 19 April 1772. Anyway, I looked into the question of a colder second half of April than Feb-Mar combined, and found six cases: 1809, 1815, 1859, 1884, 1903 and 1989. (note, Feb-Mar average is a daily average, only one of these cases (1903) actually yielded a late April decrease relative to both monthly means, as noted). This was the top 12 of (otherwise) smallest increases, and the six actual decreases heading the list. Least CET Increases second half April vs FEB -MAR YEAR ____ 16-30 APR ____ FEB -MAR ______ difference __ FEB CET _ MAR CET 1903 _____ 6.0 ______________ 7.1 ___________ --1.1 _______ 7.1 _______ 7.1 1815 _____ 6.6 ______________ 6.9 ___________ --0.3 _______ 6.5 _______ 7.3 1884 _____ 5.6 ______________ 5.9 ___________ --0.3 _______ 5.3 _______ 6.5 1859 _____ 6.3 ______________ 6.5 ___________ --0.2 _______ 5.7 _______ 7.3 1809 _____ 5.8 ______________ 5.9 ___________ --0.1 _______ 5.7 _______ 6.0 1989 _____ 6.7 ______________ 6.8 ___________ --0.1 _______ 6.0 _______ 7.5 1938 _____ 7.4 ______________ 7.2 ___________ +0.2 _______ 5.1 _______ 9.1 1877 _____ 5.9 ______________ 5.5 ___________ +0.4 _______ 6.2 _______ 4.9 1849 _____ 6.5 ______________ 5.9 ___________ +0.6 _______ 5.7 _______ 6.1 1981 _____ 6.2 ______________ 5.5 ___________ +0.7 _______ 3.0 _______ 7.8 2017 _____ 8.2 ______________ 7.5 ___________ +0.7 _______ 6.2 _______ 8.8 Despite record cold 23-25 April, 1908 was +0.9 (Apr 16-30 5.7, Feb 5.3, Mar 4.3 avg 4.8), 12th place for smallest increases. ------------ So, it has happened six times that second half of April was colder than Feb-March average, but only one of those was colder than both Feb and March averages, the other five beat March but not Feb; of the other six in the list, with small increases, one beat Feb, three beat March, and two were slightly warmer than both.

Don Indeed they were, 1975 seems to have been particularly snowy, and 1981 had a massive blizzard and snowdrifts in and around the Midlands later in the month. Also Just spotted 1950, well before my time, that produced 15cm of snow in the south around the 25th/26th of April. April can be the most unpredictable of all of the months of the year, like early summer one day and like late winter the next.

snowray Those were the days!

Well it was 2C here around the time when I opened the curtains this morning to the sight of wet snow falling. Made a good attempt to snow for the next hour or so, which is more than it did for most of the traditional winter period. Much nicer later in the day, almost pleasant despite the temp maxing out at 7.7C

Squally77 When I sat out in the pub garden in the sun, it was actually very pleasant and didn't need a coat. However, I had one with me as it soon got cold once the sun went down!

An odd month, akin to the extreme opposites 2011 and 2012, 2011 very warm and dry and sunny, 2012 very wet dull and cold. Instead of the very wet and dull it was unusually cold and dry, whereas 2020 was sunny dry and very mild. Interesting to note how we sometimes have back to back opposite months in a calandar year. May 20 and 21 same. March 12 and 13 another contrast. July 22 and 23.. Feb 18 and 19 in terms of extreme cold and heat.

BlueSkies_do_I_se Thats it, well done. I personally have experienced very heavy snow when I was a young child in the early 70's in Mid April, it was on a Good Friday but cant remember the year and some extreme cold with snowfall in the west country back in the mid 70's right at the end of the month.

I personally loved it in spite of it feeling really cold in the shade sat outside a pub. It had an almost identical mean sea level pressure anomaly as September 1986, and very similar weather. Albeit being colder.

In an average year we usually have to wait until May before seeing our first 20 degrees, but in recent years often April has produced it, sometimes March. Looking at the trend for the remainder of April, it looks like it won't occur this month. 25 degrees can be hard to achieve in depths of summer in some years! Last July a case in point, not once.. but usually June will bring our first 25 degrees. In a number of years May delivers the goods, if high pressure sits overhead for a number of days. 25 degrees is the barometer of a very good summers day here, typically high 20s are not easy to achieve, but recently becoming easier and easier.

carinthian At least you had 31c before

I may be imagining things but I'm sure I saw "will allow the cold conditions to reach the UK" like stained glass window me is it not already here?

Dry and sunny months are impossible this year. Even getting average seems impossible.

May will be a dull & chilly rain-fest. I said it first, remember

TheOgre Amen brother!

Looks biblical ️. Some might think The Gods are angry with humanity perhaps?

WYorksWeather There will be a pattern change in May. It'll be like 2021 or 1996.