April 1999

The weather was generally warm or very warm from the 1st to the 9th with high pressure quite close to the south of the region. A dry sunny day on the 1st saw the temperature reach 20.7 °C at Northolt (London). The cloud was often quite thick though with some occasional rain and drizzle especially in the north and north-west. The south-east had the best of the sunshine and was mostly dry.

Temperatures dropped somewhat over the next few days with rain moving south-east during the 11th and 12th. From the 13th to the 18th nearby low pressure brought cold air from Greenland, with many places having overnight frost and some snow especially in the north. There were widespread wintry showers, often accompanied by hail and thunder. On the 14th a polar low brought heavy snow to south Wales and the Severn Valley giving 8 cm at Bristol Airport by 9 a.m. That same morning Redesdale (Northumberland) recorded -6.7 °C. On the night of the 16th/17th heavy snow gave 12-15 cm locally over higher parts of the southern Pennines.

An Atlantic depression brought wind and rain on the 20th/21st. Thereafter warmer conditions prevailed with rain at times especially in the south and south-west. Barboume (Worcester) recorded 49 mm of rain during some severe thunderstorms in the area on the afternoon of the 26th.

From the 27th to the 30th high pressure to the north brought warm dry weather to many places. Locations in north Wales or Cumbria on 27th, 28th and 29th recorded values near 21 °C each day, with Northolt (London) peaking at 21.6 °C on the 30th. In contrast places adjacent to the North Sea had some slow clearing sea fog and cloud mainly during the 27th, 28th and 29th. Rainfall ranged from about 93 % in East Anglia to about 181 % in south-west England and south Wales.

Central England Temperature (the CET series begins in 1659) The mean value for the month was 9.4 °C which is 1.5 °C above the 1961-90 normal of 7.9 °C and is in the well above category. Others:1998 /7.7, 1997 /9.0, 1993 /9.5 °C.

England and Wales Rainfall (series begins in 1766) The total for the month was 75.8 mm, which is 122 % of the 1961-90 average and is in the close to average category. Others: 1998/ 130.9, 1997/23.7, 1996/51.0, 1995/28.1, 1994/76.3 mm.

England and Wales Sunshine (series begins in 1961) The total value for the month was 154.4 hours, which is 107 % of the 1961-90 average and is in the close to average category. Others: 1998/122.5, 1997/164.0, 1996/131.3, 1995/173.9 hours.