April 8th The warmer dry and settled spell continues with a maximum reached of 17.7C at Northolt ( London) yesterday and 17.6C at Solent (Hants) today. There was also a large diurnal range as well in places, for example 19C at Benson (Oxon) and at Pershore (Gloucestershire) where it reached 17.4C by day but fell to -1.6C overnight. It fell to -7C on the grass there too - any very tender plants need still beware!

April 12th: The dry weather continues and it continued to warm up too, with 20C reached for the first time this year - but not where you might expect it!  Yesterday, 11th April, Castlederg (Co Tyrone, N Ireland) reported 20.4C and Altnaharra 20.3C (Sutherland) with an unofficial 22C at Cromdale in Speyside, Scotland and today Tyndrum (Highlands) reported 20.2C. Tulloch Bridge (Highlands) saw a daily range of 22.6C too after a cold frosty night on the 11th. The current synoptic situation with high pressure centred to the north and west is fairly common in spring, and tends to favour sheltered locations in the west of Scotland and Northern Ireland, near the centre of the high presssure giving light winds, by now quite strong sunshine and results in relatively high temperatutes, whereas eastern England on the eastern flank of the high presssure stays grey, breezy and with the winds off the cold North Sea chilly. By the summer, we see the high pressure more commonly further south bringing fine, warm weather to southern and eastern areas, as frontal systems bring cloud and rain across the north-west. That is why it is often said that the best weather in Scotland and Northern Ireland is from April to early June.

April 16th: Day two of the volcanic dust cloud event that has closed many of Europe's airports and skies to air traffic. Many commented on the quietness and lack of contrails today. Inverness airport actually reported volcanic ash falling early yesterday morning in its weather report, coded as 'VA'. By today it was concentrated more across the south of the UK with people commenting on seeing a thin yellow veil in the sky in places, some possible ash deposition and a slightly sulphurous smell in the air. The fine ash particles in the upper atmosphere may produce some spectacular sunsets for a time as well. How long it lasts is hard to tell but it does not look as though winds will blow any ash clouds well away from the UK until about next Thursday 22nd now, despite a breif respite on Monday.  

April 20th Day six and the travel disruption due to ash continues but as I mentioned on the 16th, from Thursday as milder SW'ly upper winds move any ash away NE, north of the UK then flights should start to resume proper I think. The dry weather continues however for many; warm in places too with St James Park up to 19.6C om the 18th and Charlwood 18.1C yesterday. Cold by night though too; Charlwood saw a diurnal range of 19.9C on the 18th. The dry weather looks set to stay for many for another week now as well especially in the east .

April 23rd: The dry weather continues for another week and it is giving us quite large daily ranges of temperature still and low daily humidities. Nights are cold still inland, the 22nd saw grass mins (the temperature at about 5cm above the grass) as low as -9C at Eskdalemuir, in Southern Scotland and last night saw -7C at Shawbury (Salops). The humidity has been as low as 25-30% in places by day as well inland, making it feel quite chilly out of any sunshine. It was cold enough or sleet & snow in the far north yesterday too; Shetland reported some hail & sleet showers.

April 25th: The warm dry spell saw the highest temperature of the year with above 70F reached yesterday, the 24th. Several places in London saw above 20C and St James Park reached 21.3C. Out of London, Pershore (Gloucs) reached 20.3C. As rain fell for many early on the 25th this was the last day of a drought that saw some places record up to 18 days without rain in the south.

April 28th saw 22.0C reached at Leeming (Yorks), the warmest temperature so far this year.

April 30th: By the end of April it had been a dry month with near average temperatures but plenty of sunshine . Altogether, mean temperatures were slightly above average after a chilly start in the first week. However after a wet start it became more or less dry and sunny everywhere away from northern & western Scotland. Rainfall was around 40% across England and Wales but as low as 25% across parts of E Anglia though nearer average in N Scotland. Sunshine was around 150% overall but as high as 180% in SE England though N Scotland alone was nearer average, as with March. The north and some central parts saw rather more frost days than average.