The first rain for 29 days fell on April 18th, but that merely was a brief shower. After a couple of days of non-descript weather, rain also fell early on the 21st but 68F was recorded that day. The 24th was summer like, with over 11 hours of sunshine and 70F, the highest temperature of the month and the warmest April day since 1997. In fact, there was a warm spell that existed between the 21st and the 24th. The nights were cool on the 16th and 17th, but noticeable mild between the 21st and 23rd.

After another fine day on the 25th, the anti-cyclone began to break down and low pressure close to the UK brought cool and wet weather for the final days of the month. Hailstorms and gales were recorded in places. Though the 27th was mainly dry, rain was heavy on the 28th. However, sunny spells still occurred during the cool and wet final few days. In a coincidence, 54F was reached as a maximum temperature on the 27th, 28th and 29th of the month.

April 2002 was, up to the 25th, on course to be one of the driest April's on record. This didn't occur due to the unsettled spell at the end, though rainfall totals were still only half of the average. Sunshine totals were well above average and it was the sunniest April recorded since 1990. It was the driest April recorded since 1984. There are similarities between the Spring of 1997 and Spring of 2002, in that both had a generally mild and dry March, and both had a warm and sunny April that turned unsettled. The weather broke in April 1997 on the 21st and there was a cold and wet week between the 21st and 28th. The month was marginally less milder than April 1999, but both were warm months. Daytime temperatures were well above average.

Kevin Phillips - 8.10pm - Thursday 9th May 2002.