Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
April has been another month with temperatures well above the long-term average locally, with the mean temperature 1.6C above normal – keeping the long-term yearly mean on track for a very warm year.
The month was also very dry up to the 22nd, with only 41% of the month’s rainfall and a period of 12 days from the 7th without any rain.
April 2014 (to the 22nd)
Mean Max 14.0C 1.2 above average
Mean Min 5.7C 2.1 above average
Mean 9.8C 1.6 above average
Rainfall 26.9mm 41% of average
Sunshine 99.2 hours 84% of average
March had a cold start, with temperatures increasing mid-month. There was near-normal rainfall of 49.1mm, 109% of the 30-year local mean, and above-average sunshine of 144.4 hours (152% of the 30-year mean).
So the month was another one with above-average temperatures – the mean temperature of 6.5C for the first three months is 2.2C above the long-term mean.
March 2014
Mean Max 12.2C 2.2 above average
Mean Min 3.0C 0.6 above average
Mean 7.6C 1.4 above average
Rainfall 49.1mm 109% of average
Sunshine 144.4 hours 152% of average
Outlook
The end of April looks a little dull and changeable, but predicting further afield is difficult. Early May appears slightly cooler than normal with average rainfall, but the chance of a warmer, drier spell later in the month.
The first three months of 2014 have been quite unusual in that there has been no snow lying locally in any of those months. This is the first year time this has occurred since my records began 30+ years ago.
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Above: Cobley Hill shower