Spring 2021: Moans, Groans, Ramps and Banter.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

To be honest, I am not at all bothered about the upcoming more unsettled conditions. As a gardener, I would like to see some rain as you can't beat rainwater when it comes to watering the plants - far superior to using a watering can or hose. On the other hand, I hope it doesn't go on for too long though. But mother nature sure likes to troll us, by giving us these blocking weather patterns as opposed to mixing up the weather a bit so that we get a bit of each here and there which keeps things more interesting.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Weather Enthusiast91

[NEVES SCREAMER]

Just been out for a few beers round Wolverhampton since 13:00.   Lovely down the road by the old outdoor markets. Sat outside the boozer lager on the go. 

[damianslaw]

4 hours ago, Frost HoIIow said:

Yes a lot of trees round here in 2013 did not come into leaf until well into May. This year they are opening now. So about a month earlier than 2013.

A more traditional spring this year in terms of timing of leaf appearance and general growth, we've become accustomed to very early starts by and large, with some exceptions, 2010, 2013 notably so and 2018. I remember back to 1996 that was a very late start - barely any green growth well into May.

 

[B87]

3 minutes ago, damianslaw said:

A more traditional spring this year in terms of timing of leaf appearance and general growth, we've become accustomed to very early starts by and large, with some exceptions, 2010, 2013 notably so and 2018. I remember back to 1996 that was a very late start - barely any green growth well into May.

 

Those years were all very late starts. Typically we should be fully leafed out by now in a normal year.

[TheOgre]

This years leaf return does seem late but after last week’s mild weather, the greening is well underway now. Cherry blossom is fully out and the forests are blooming fast. They started late March, stayed still for a couple of weeks and have started again.

Edited April 26, 2021 by TheOgre

[Dangerous55019]

We’ve actually had an April shower this morning! Not enough to wet the ground, but hey! 

I realise that I’m probably about to be torn limb from limb and battered with the soggy ends for saying this, but I’m actually really quite happy to see grey skies with a spot of rain for a change. As I was really starting to get quite fed up of nothing but blue skies and sunshine. 

[Atmogenic]

Today looks like to be a brilliant day, it could be a bit warmer but that wind has completely gone, I do see on the trees a slight puff of wind but nothing compared to the last 2 days so It's going to be real nice 

[mb018538]

1 hour ago, Dangerous55019 said:

We’ve actually had an April shower this morning! Not enough to wet the ground, but hey! 

I realise that I’m probably about to be torn limb from limb and battered with the soggy ends for saying this, but I’m actually really quite happy to see grey skies with a spot of rain for a change. As I was really starting to get quite fed up of nothing but blue skies and sunshine. 

Yes, off with your head!  We have 6 months of the year that are dreary, cold wet and miserable....soak up that sunshine! We aren't in California or the Mediterranean, the rain will always come back sooner rather than later here.....and it duly has. Just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend!

[Timmytour]

15 hours ago, damianslaw said:

A more traditional spring this year in terms of timing of leaf appearance and general growth, we've become accustomed to very early starts by and large, with some exceptions, 2010, 2013 notably so and 2018. I remember back to 1996 that was a very late start - barely any green growth well into May.

 

Just today I noticed two trees in the field next to where I live which have barely any green on them as yet.  I wish I'd got a picture of them at the start of December to show the contrast!

[Mapantz]

I was going through some images I took on my phone from this exact day, last year. I was putting a new fence up and building a retaining wall, so I was just taking photo's for before and after purposes. I happen to get a shot of my Acer and Plum tree.  The plum tree still had blossom on it this day last year, but this year, it has just fallen off  recently. The Acer tree is identical as well.. so, no real differences in timings here.

[Britneyfan]

Fantastic day in south Essex, 17 degrees and hardly any wind, sat at the pub garden and got burnt! Oops 

[Mr Frost]

Afternoon all

We all saw this one coming - few more air frosts to be added before the month is over!

 

More detailed information in the blog:

Frostiest April for at least 60 years in UK – Official blog of the Met Office news team

BLOG.METOFFICE.GOV.UK

---

Frosty conditions have been common throughout April this year – Image: Shutterstock April 2021 has provisionally been the frostiest in at least 60 years for the UK, topping...

 

[Andy Bown]

Actually raining. Petrichor smell!

[reef]

4 minutes ago, Mr Frost said:

Afternoon all

We all saw this one coming - few more air frosts to be added before the month is over!

 

We're on 13 air frosts for the month so far compared to the 1991-2020 average of 1.2 in April. The previous record high number was 5 days of air frost back in April 1984, so we've blasted past that.

Our mean minimum for the month is just 0.4C so far, compared to the 1991-2020 average of 4.8C and a record low mean minimum of 2.7C in April 1986. Back to 1980 we've only had four Aprils with a mean minimum of 3.5C or below so this month really is exceptional!

We're on 208 hours of sunshine and just 1.0mm of rain too, so its a very odd combination.

[Frigid]

16 minutes ago, reef said:

We're on 13 air frosts for the month so far compared to the 1991-2020 average of 1.2 in April. The previous record high number was 5 days of air frost back in April 1984, so we've blasted past that.

Our mean minimum for the month is just 0.4C so far, compared to the 1991-2020 average of 4.8C and a record low mean minimum of 2.7C in April 1986. Back to 1980 we've only had four Aprils with a mean minimum of 3.5C or below so this month really is exceptional!

We're on 208 hours of sunshine and just 1.0mm of rain too, so its a very odd combination.

Yeah every year I usually get 1-2 air frosts in April, something I've been accustomed to. But as of the 27th the number of air frosts in my area is 14. Quite remarkable and makes me wonder what this month would be like if it was in the heart of winter. Frostiest April since records began, a nice change to the warm records we see all the time.  

[Weather-history]

Looking at the Met Office data available (goes back to 1960)

Frostiest April on record

UK: 1970 

England: 1968

Wales: 1968

Scotland: 1970

Northern Ireland: 1983

Regionally

N Scotland: 1986

E Scotland: 1970

W Scotland: 1983

E& NE England: 1970

NW England& N Wales: 1968

Midlands: 1968

East Anglia: 2013

SW England and S Wales: 1968

SE England Central South: 1968

58 minutes ago, Mr Frost said:

Afternoon all

We all saw this one coming - few more air frosts to be added before the month is over!

 

More detailed information in the blog:

Frostiest April for at least 60 years in UK – Official blog of the Met Office news team

BLOG.METOFFICE.GOV.UK

---

Frosty conditions have been common throughout April this year – Image: Shutterstock April 2021 has provisionally been the frostiest in at least 60 years for the UK, topping...

 

The blog says 13 days as an average for the UK, atm. To put that figure into some context.

That value is higher than 33 Januarys, 39 Februarys, 52 Marches, 57 Novembers and 44 Decembers in that 1960-2021 period. 

 

[Cheshire Freeze]

Felt damn chilly sat outside the coffee shop today with overcast skies. 

Maxed at 11.8c

Edited April 27, 2021 by CreweCold

[Guest]

A little bit of sick came into my mouth when I saw the end of GFS 12z run, I don’t think ever seen such a blocked chart, almost straight south to north and north to south jet streaks. 

[Cheshire Freeze]

18 minutes ago, Alderc said:

A little bit of sick came into my mouth when I saw the end of GFS 12z run, I don’t think ever seen such a blocked chart, almost straight south to north and north to south jet streaks. 

We seem to be in a solid NW Europe low solar pattern...which seemed to embed last summer. 

The winter just gone reminded me of the 2008ish period.

[Josh Rubio]

I must be the only one happy for a change in the weather. Might not be saying this 30 days later but it’s been a very dry and quiet month. 

[damianslaw]

More frosts on the way to see the month out. Thursday and Friday nights decidedly chilly under a slack polar airstream. 

My magnolia has been scorched, all black budding...

[Eskimo]

Well statistically this will likely be the coldest April I've seen - coldest since 1989 if I've checked the data properly. 

[B87]

Wonder if this May will go the way of 2012. For the first 21 days of May 2012, it was comfortably one of the coldest on record here. The final 10 days had an average high of 26c with near unbroken sunshine.

[summer blizzard]

7 hours ago, Mapantz said:

I was going through some images I took on my phone from this exact day, last year. I was putting a new fence up and building a retaining wall, so I was just taking photo's for before and after purposes. I happen to get a shot of my Acer and Plum tree.  The plum tree still had blossom on it this day last year, but this year, it has just fallen off  recently. The Acer tree is identical as well.. so, no real differences in timings here.

I’ve noticed here in Leeds that everything last year bloomed at the same time by mid April, all flowers, shrubs and trees and they stayed in bloom for weeks. This year most trees have bloomed but fairly briefly while the shrubs are still on berries.

[B87]

59 minutes ago, Eskimo said:

Well statistically this will likely be the coldest April I've seen - coldest since 1989 if I've checked the data properly. 

In the Heathrow record it's definitely one of the coldest. It was probably as cold as 1986 until a week ago.

1986: 7.1c

1956: 7.3c

1978: 7.3c

1970: 7.6c

1951: 7.7c

1989: 7.9c

2021: 7.9c so far

Rainfall is forecast as well, which means there is zero chance of April 2021 ending up the driest on record. Currently only 0.8mm ahead of 2011 (1.6mm vs 2.4mm).

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by B87