TERRY SCHOLEY WEATHER SERVICE
April 2013
General Comments: What a difference from this time last year when after one of the warmest March's on record, we now experience one of the coldest. As a result plant growth is way behind schedule, but nature often re-dresses the balance sometime during the spring or early summer. This suggests much warmer intervals to come as the 'Jet Stream' remains either split or well South of normal. This could also be the case for most of the remainder of spring and for the coming summer.
This is not all bad news but without our usual run of Atlantic westerly winds, extremes usually result of both temperature and rainfall, making growing conditions very difficult for farmers and gardeners.
Relative to normal, the North and West during April should be drier than the South and East. The month should also see stark temperature variations. The mean maximum temperature for April in the North is about 10C rising to 12.5C and in the South 12C rising to around 14.5C. The mean minimum temperature in the North is 2.5C rising to around 4C and in the South 4.5C rising to 7.5C by month end.
Summary
April 1st to 8th: The cold weather continues with every chance of further sleet or snow at times, mostly in the form of showers, especially on Scottish hills and in the East. Night frost sometimes quite sharp and penetrating will remain a feature, but there will also be some dry, fine weather especially over Ireland and the West of Scotland. Temperature generally will continue to be much below normal, with the North and West mainly dry.
April 9th to 13th: Gradually becoming milder but unsettled from either the North or West. Much of the rain preceded in places by mostly hill snow should be over Ireland and Scotland, but most parts should at least have showers for a time. Temperatures below average at first should slowly rise to closer to normal. A wetter, breezier period seems likely, with the heaviest rains probably in the North and West.
April 14th to 19th: Looks to be the most promising time window from a more 'spring-like' prospective. After scattered showers at first, it should become finer and milder. There could even be some rather warm afternoons for a time, particularly over England, Wales and East Scotland and later perhaps in the North and West. Temperatures should be close to normal rising to above normal, probably in most places for a while. It should also become mainly dry again.
April 20th to 23rd: Is likely to become unsettled once more, with showers breaking out probably from the West and South and there could be local thunder. It could also be turning colder again, as a perhaps at times blustery wind turns increasingly chilly. Eastern areas could see mist patchy hill fog and low cloud for a time. Temperatures probably slightly above average at first in the North and West should fall to below average again in probably an increasingly wet period that could produce locally heavy rain.
April 24th to 26th: A late wintry spell is possible, with showers probably most frequent in the East and South. These could fall as sleet, soft hail and even snow, the latter mostly on hills with spring perhaps halted yet again. West Scotland and Ireland may tend to be finer or less wet, but with the return of slight night frosts that could spread to other parts later. Temperatures will be below possibly well below average, with the bulk of the rain probably in the East and South East.
April 27th to 30th: Should see the weather gradually becoming finer and milder, as showers wintry in places at first fade. Cloud amounts may vary, but sunny spells should lengthen to probably make it mainly fine and dry towards month end in lighter breezes. Temperatures will respond accordingly to perhaps near normal values by the end of April. It should be chilly at first however with some cold nights, although the threat of further frost will probably have diminished by month end.
1st April 2013