Key:
A cool and frosty start to April with wintry showers in places (mainly Midlands):
Fri 1st min Tirabad, Powys -6.7c, Trawsgoed (inland from Aberystwyth) -6.0c, Llawnnnen -5.7c (not quite the coldest night of the year to date as it managed -5.8c in January), Pershore -1.9c, Coventry -1.1c, Hereford & Shobdon +0.8c, Aberporth 2.9c.
Sun 3rd a widespread frost, severe in places; Llanwnnen, min -6.8c, the coldest April night for 9 years (-8.5c 06/04/2013); other minima Tirabad -7.5c, Trawsgoed -5.4c, Pershore -5.2c, CL -4.2c, Coventry -2.3c, Nottingham (Watnall) -0.7c, MH +0.9c, Aberdaron 3.1c.
A few days then of nearer average temperatures but unsettled with spells of rain or showers then cool again:
Thu 7th/ Fri 8th cool with sunny spells and April showers, local hail and thunder; 1cm hail stones fell in an afternoon shower here at Lwn; max generally 9 to 11c.
Sat 9th widespread frost (Tirabad min -4.1c) then sunny periods and just isolated showers; cool again max generally 9 to 12c (Pershore a more pleasant max 13.7c though); Aberdaron sunniest place in the UK with 12.3 hours of virtually unbroken sun (other Shobdon 9.8 hrs, Lwn est 9.5 hrs, Coventry 6.7 hrs).
Sun 10th widespread frost, quite severe in places; minima Tirabad, Powys -6.0c, Lwn -5.3c, Trawsgoed -4.2c, Hereford -4.1c, Coventry -1.8c, Nottingham -1.1c, Aberdaron +3.8c.
Warmed up around mid month max widely in the 14 - 17c range and so above average (Lwn max 18c Sun 11th with Porthmadog also c 18c warmest in Wales).
Fine and warm much of the Easter Holidays especially the Midlands:
Good Friday 15th much cloud for WW & Shropshire but sunny periods much of the Midlands where it was very warm for mid April, maxima Wellesbourne 22.0c, Pershore 21.8c, Coventry 21.2c, Nottingham 20.6c, Shawbury 18.6c, Trawsgoed 17.2c, Lwn 14.9c, Mumbles 13.8c, Aberdaron 11.7c (note max London, St James Park 23.4c today).
Sat 17th fine and warm/ very warm more widely with sunny periods, just some of the Welsh coasts cooler with onshore breezes; maxima ROW 21.6c (warmest in UK), CITE & Lwn 20.9c, Trawsgoed 20.8c, CL 20.2c, Aberdaron 13.5c.
Sun 18th another warm day for most with sunny spells (quite a sunny day for much of Midlands) although it clouded over and cooled down with some rain for WW later; maxima ROW 19.9c, Gogerddan (Ceredigion) 19.7c, Pershore 19.6c, Nottingham 19.3c, Coventry & Lwn 19.0c, Shawbury 18.0c, MH 13.3c.
Wed 20th after a brief cooler showery interlude the warmth and sunshine back, (cool some coasts); maxima Lwn 19.4c, Porthmadog 19.2c, ROW 18.4c, CITE 18.1c, Pershore 17.7c, Trawsgoed 17.5c, Coventry 16.3c, Nottingham 16.0c, Aberporth 12.0c; sunshine Aberdaron 13.2 hrs, Nottingham 12.1 hrs Lwn est 11 hrs, Coventry 10.4 hrs, Shawbury 9.3 hrs.
Thu 21st many places warm sunny periods again max Pershore 19.9c (warmest in UK) Lwn 19.4c, Pembrey Sands 19.3c, ROW 18.9c, Pershore 18.8c, Aberporth 17.9c, CL 17.1c, CC 16.0c.
Sun 24th generally rather warm with sunny spells particularly parts of WW, maxima Lwn 19.4c, ROW 18.0c, MH 17.7c, Pershore 17.4c, Coventry 15.5c, CC 14.1c.
The dry spell prolonged in most places to month end though with temperatures closer to average for late April and cool at times Midlands:
Wed 27th cool and cloudy Midlands, pleasant sunny spells for WW, max CL 9.9c, Aberdaron, CITE & Newport, Salop 12.3c, Pembrey Sands 14.4c, Porthmadog 15.6c, Lwn 15.9c.
Thu 28th local frosts Wales & Marches, widely cool and cloudy, average temps parts of WW, maxima Nottingham 8.9c, Aberporth 10.8c, Pershore 11.7c, ROW 12.8c, Scolton Park, Pembs 14.3c, Lwn 14.7c.
Fri 29th frost for much of Wales, minima Tirabad -3.0c, Lwn -2.1c, Pembrey Sands -0.4c, Hereford 4.6c, Pershore 6.9c, Mumbles 7.0c.
Sat 30th air frost widespread, minima Tirabad, Powys -3.2c, Lwn & Pershore -1.5c, CL -0.5c, Pembrey Sands 0.0c, Nottigham 2.6c, Aberdaron 7.1c; clouded over WW where generally rather cool, sunny periods Midlands where generally quite warm, maxima Hereford 17.4c, CL, Coventry & Nottingham 17.0c, Shobdon 16.3c, Lwn 15.6c, Trawsgoed 14.6c, Aberdaron 11.2c; some rain and drizzle into WW during the evening so ending the dry spell.
Nature notes
Fri 1st hedgerows well into leaf in places on the way to Carmarthen.
Sat 9th cool but sunny in Aberaeron this afternoon, thought we might see the first Swallow and hear the first Willow Warbler but the cold north wind must be holding them back (a few have been reports since late March in the county already though along with one House Martin). Quite a few Bluebells out, Wood Sorrel still out though a bit faded, plenty of Celandine still out too; various trees leafing inc some Sycamore.
Tue 12th a couple of Willow Warblers (WW) singing by the river in the Uni; surprised to see 5 or 6 House Martin over the town, they were active and calling and one flew into a nest that has survived since last year on the High St. Most unusual as almost always see a Swallow first!
Mid month very active Blackcap singing persistently in and around our garden, saw it a couple of times.
Sat 16th first Swallow above Lampeter Uni this afternoon (it sounded like 2 but only briefly glimpsed the one); many different trees coming into leaf now. No further H Martins seen as yet..
Sat 16th first white butterfly in garden.
Quite a few Bluebells out by mid month, lots of Stitchwort, most Daffs now died off or fading.
Sun 17th first Orange Tip butterfly front garden; Willow Warbler singing from neighbouring back garden quite loudly.
Wed 20th first Swallow seen from the village it was reccying above the gardens for several minutes; 3 more Swallows in the Cribyn area too.
Thu 21st Pipistrelles sunset; Apple blossom starting to appear; Garden Bluebells nearing peak in the wild area.
Fri 22nd Mistle Thrush alarming then seeing off Sparrowhawk above the gardens; Male Blackcap singing from the nearest Holly then saw a female and heard their alarm call 'chack chack' so reckon a nest in the hedgerow thereabouts; there are at least one Blackbird pair nesting in the hedge but have nt located any nests.
Late April in Gateshead/Newcastle
Cowslips very prevalent along some of the motorway/ A1 verges.
Mon 25th Blackcap singing Gosforth along with a few Chiffchaff.
Quite a few Chiffchaff and Blackcap and some WW along the pleasant footpaths from the hotel which follow the railway and rivers Tyne and its tributary the Derwent.
Many trees coming into leaf even this far north inc Sycamore, Oak and Beech and first May blossoms appearing and also a splendid show of Cherry blossom; more in the way of Daffs still in flower up here. Bluebells, Daisies and Dandelions out well.
Thu 28th first Tyneside Swallow evening then several more along the Derwent the next day and seen to enter stables.
Sat 30th Shibdon Pools NR (1 mile from hotel): Sedge Warbler heard close by; good view of singing Chiffchaff (several others heard along with a few WW); quite a few Blackcap singing too; 2 Heron, 3 Tufted Duck, Reed Bunting heard; plenty of Orange Tips; thousands upon thousands of Daisies on the grassy areas.
April 2022 summary
Most places dry or very dry and quite mild; WW & Marches rather dull to average sun, much of Midlands quite sunny
Rainfall totals
Mona, Anglesey 30.4mm
Capel Curig, Snowdonia 85.6mm (55%)
Aberdaron, Gwynnedd c 41mm (71%)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion c 81mm (111% so the only location above average)
Aberporth, Ceredigion c 43mm (81%)
Llanwnnen, Ceredigion 55.0mm (72%)
Milford Haven, Pembs 38.6mm (60%)
Pembrey Sands, Carmarthenshire 24.0mm (35%)
Mumbles, near Swansea 32.2mm (54%)
Nottingham (Watnall) 24.8mm (52%)
Shawbury, Shropshire 19.6mm (42%)
Colehill, Warks 18.4mm (38%)
Coventry, Bablake School 8.4mm (16%)
Church Lawford 20.8mm (42%)
Pershore. Worcestershire 15.2mm (33%)
Hereford 11.6mm (23%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 22.8mm (39%)
COL stations April 2022
Llansadwrn, Anglesey 36.2mm (71%)
Ludlow, Shrophire 19.9mm (34%)
Warstock, B'ham 22.3mm (39%)
Alvechurch, Worcestershire 28.2mm (47%)
Cosby, Leicestershire 12.0mm (24%)
Hinckley, Leicestershire 14.1mm
Towcester, Northants 11.5mm (22%)
PWS rainfall:
Daventry, Northants 17.0mm
Sunshine April 2022
Valley 179.9 hrs (100%)
Llanwnnen estimated 129 hours (86%)
Nottingham 165.5 hrs (109%)
Shawbury 155.1 hrs (98%)
Coventry 185.4 hrs (117%)
Shobdon 149.2 hrs (90%)
COL stations sunshine:
Ludlow 125.4 hours
Alvechurch 157.6 hrs
Cosby 171.1 hrs
Towcester 180.1 hrs
