However, there were some differences. A deep fall of snow occurred in April 1998. There was no snow recorded this year - for the first time in three years, though sleet fell all day on the 3rd. There were no thunderstorms or hail this year. In April 1998 the former was abundant. April 2000 was also, apart from the very wet weather, quite a calm month. There were no strong winds recorded.
The fine weather at the end of March had been displaced by cold North-East winds and low pressure, which extended across England and Wales over the 2nd and the 3rd. The 2nd was a miserable day with heavy rain. The temperature didn't rise above 39F on the 3rd, though not as low as the lowest maxima recorded in April 1999. It was the wettest day of a very wet month.
The 4th saw something of an improvement as the North-East winds began to run out of steam and high pressure brought abundant sunshine for the 6th and the 7th, although as the anticyclone began to decline, the weather, whilst remaining generally fine, turned more unsettled for the 8th, 9th and 10th.
A cold front brought a change for the 11th and all parts turned cold and cloudy with foul conditions for the 11th to the 13th. The maximum didn't rise above 43F on each day, a January level. The 12th in particular, was an awful day with heavy rain falling from leaden skies practically throughout. The weather turned milder from the 16th but remained unsettled.
Under a southerly airflow now, the 18th to the 21st were fine and warm but the weather was more overcast on Easter Saturday, the 22nd. Easter Sunday, the 23rd, the latest in the year since 1943, was quite warm and sunny. Easter Monday was also fine with sunny spells, but heavy rain fell on the 25th and the 26th. Apart from drizzle on the morning of the 29th the rest of the month was dry. The highest temperature of the month was recorded on the final day, 66F, the same as the highest in April 1999.
April 2000 as mentioned earlier, was wetter than April 1998 and now is the wettest April in over 100 years. Daytime temperatures averaged out 1.1F above average, aided by the generally warm weather from the 17th onwards. Night-time temperatures were average for the time of year. Whilst average in total, sunshine was inconsistent, with brilliant sunshine on the 6th, 7th, 19th and 23rd and dull spells between the 1st and the 5th and from the 11th to the 13th.
Kevin Phillips - 4.20pm - Sunday 7th May 2000.
