April Cet

[Weather-history]

Indeed unfortunately it looks like another particularly cold April will be blown out of the water thanks to blowtorch nights in the last week ala Aprils 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2008.

.

Unfortunately the term "blowtorch" is fast coming like term "blizzard" ie misused.

April 1991 doesn't fit that grouping as that was a month that had a warmer first half than its second half

Edited April 27, 2012 by Mr_Data

[Eugene]

Indeed unfortunately it looks like another particularly cold April will be blown out of the water thanks to blowtorch nights

No blowtorch nights here this week, the warmest was 8C for just one night, most nights werent far from average, 8C is not a blowtorch night for late April, something well into double figures is this time of year, its not winter anymore.

[Snowyowl9]

CET not going as high as some said on recent posts,charts have changed cold NE-ly back today.

7.2c currently.

7.1c on.

http://www.climate-uk.com/index.html

Biggest contrast to march I`ve ever known.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Indeed unfortunately it looks like another particularly cold April will be blown out of the water thanks to blowtorch nights in the last week ala Aprils 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2008.

The main reason why those months weren't notably cold was because cold spells were offset by warm weather elsewhere in the month. April 1991 had a warm first half (as Mr_Data pointed out), 1994 had a very warm end, and 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2008 all had frequent southerly winds in the second half.

Synoptically speaking this April has not been conducive to exceptional cold- only on a couple of brief occasions did the winds blow straight from the Arctic, otherwise it has been consistently cyclonic and near average to fairly cool. Despite this, the likely absence of a warm spell near the end will probably make this the coldest April since 1989 by a fair margin.

[Aaron]

No blowtorch nights here this week, the warmest was 8C for just one night, most nights werent far from average, 8C is not a blowtorch night for late April, something well into double figures is this time of year, its not winter anymore.

There's been a lack of visible frost recently since the beginning of the month which is what he's referring to.

[reef]

The main reason why those months weren't notably cold was because cold spells were offset by warm weather elsewhere in the month. April 1991 had a warm first half (as Mr_Data pointed out), 1994 had a very warm end, and 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2008 all had frequent southerly winds in the second half.

Synoptically speaking this April has not been conducive to exceptional cold- only on a couple of brief occasions did the winds blow straight from the Arctic, otherwise it has been consistently cyclonic and near average to fairly cool. Despite this, the likely absence of a warm spell near the end will probably make this the coldest April since 1989 by a fair margin.

This month in a way is the complete opposite of April 2009: That month was one of general homogenous warm weather, while this is of homegenous cool weather. Rather than anything exceptionally cold it has just been generally below average. As you say, its pretty similar to spells in recent Aprils (the first two thirds of April 2008 for example - 6.6C to the 20th), but just without a warm end.

Hadley is currently on 7.3C to the 26th. A provisional finishing figure of around 7.5C looks pretty likely and with a small adjustment at the end of the month we should still end up more than 1C below the 1981-2010 average. As you say, it'll be easily the coldest since 1989, but not really in the same ballpark of 1983, 1986 and 1989 which were pretty cold (sub-7C) in comparison.

[AderynCoch]

Unfortunately the term "blowtorch" is fast coming like term "blizzard" ie misused.

Not comparable surely. "Blizzard" refers to a specific weather phenomenon whereas "blowtorch" is an entirely figurative term used subjectively. Pointless getting worked up about it if you ask me.

[Weather-history]

Not comparable surely. "Blizzard" refers to a specific weather phenomenon whereas "blowtorch" is an entirely figurative term used subjectively. Pointless getting worked up about it if you ask me.

I'm not getting worked up by it, I was making an observation and expressing an opinion.

[damianslaw]

This month in a way is the complete opposite of April 2009: That month was one of general homogenous warm weather, while this is of homegenous cool weather. Rather than anything exceptionally cold it has just been generally below average. As you say, its pretty similar to spells in recent Aprils (the first two thirds of April 2008 for example - 6.6C to the 20th), but just without a warm end.

Hadley is currently on 7.3C to the 26th. A provisional finishing figure of around 7.5C looks pretty likely and with a small adjustment at the end of the month we should still end up more than 1C below the 1981-2010 average. As you say, it'll be easily the coldest since 1989, but not really in the same ballpark of 1983, 1986 and 1989 which were pretty cold (sub-7C) in comparison.

Maxima this month have been persistantly below par, days on end of maxes between 8-10 degrees with hardly anywhere seeing a max higher than 15 degrees. The change from March is most notable, when maxima consistently reached double digits on many days especially during the second half.

Yes synoptically this month hasn't brought opportunities for optimum cold, with a lack of true arctic air, but the combination of cloudy wet and at times windy days has made for a very chilly feeling month. When the sun has shone its heat has been tempered by the wind and the cold uppers in stark contrast to March. I suspect many people will sum April 2012 up in three words, cold, wet and dull. Cold months in the last three years have often been sunny and dry months, outside the summer months when 'cold' can't really be applied, its been a long time since we saw a proper cold, wet dull month.. April 2012 has broken the barren patch.

[AderynCoch]

I'm not getting worked up by it, I was making an observation and expressing an opinion.

Fair enough.

My point still stands however.

Edited April 27, 2012 by AderynCoch

[Roger J Smith]

Blowtorch or torch as used on American forums (where torch does not mean flash-light, in case you don't know what a flash-light is, it's a torch) ... what was I saying? Start again.

Blowtorch should only be used for very warm (anomalies +3 C or higher) persistent patterns, not for return to normal from below normal or slightly milder than average. There's an implication of daytime warmth caused by sunshine rather than it being mainly nocturnal due to cloud.

In the U.K., late February and then parts of March had a blowtorch for a while. In the northeast U.S., they "torched" continuously from early December to mid-April. I would not like to see the term overused either, it doesn't just come into effect if days register a bit above average or "normal" but I suppose it's like the dreaded Bartlett, sometimes you have a three dressed up as a nine sort of a Bartlett.

[Weather-history]

Looks a "July 2006/2007" type crash. Two consectutive same months (April 2011/2012) in contrast to each other certainly when it comes to the rainfall totals.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Mr_Data

[summer blizzard]

Looks a "July 2006/2007" type crash. Two consectutive same months (April 2011/2012) in contrast to each other certainly when it comes to the rainfall totals.

Well if the pattern sustains we could well be seeing a 2007 or 2011 type summer because with the -QBO being strong and amplifying polar easterlies at the moment (in my opinion) i struggle to see many signs of an immediate pattern change.

[summer blizzard]

7.3C to the 27th.

[damianslaw]

Will be interesting to see what the downward correction will be this month. I suspect at least 0.2 degrees but probably not enough to edge the CET into the sub 7 degree category, it will be a close call, but I think the finishing figure with correction will be 7.1 degrees, possibly 7 degrees. A decently below average month, the most negative anomaly since Dec 2010? - not sure? - Mr Data...

[Robbie Garrett]

Will be interesting to see what the downward correction will be this month. I suspect at least 0.2 degrees but probably not enough to edge the CET into the sub 7 degree category, it will be a close call, but I think the finishing figure with correction will be 7.1 degrees, possibly 7 degrees. A decently below average month, the most negative anomaly since Dec 2010? - not sure? - Mr Data...

August 2011, was the last. July and June where similar. June was -0.4, July was -0.8, and August was -0.4, the last 5 months have been above average, except February which had a CET of 3.8 = Average.

Edited April 29, 2012 by Robbie Garrett

[Weather-history]

August 2011, was the last. July and June where similar. June was -0.4, July was -0.8, and August was -0.4, the last 5 months have been above average, except February which had a CET of 3.8 = Average.

Depends on what average you compare it to, February 2012 would be below average against 1971-2000 and 1981-2010 averages.

We are certain of one thing now, this April is going to be below March's value for the first time since 1998.

The last CET quirk was in 2008 when March was below January's CET value.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Mr_Data

[summer blizzard]

7.4C to the 28th.

[Kentish Man]

Climate UK has updated with one day to go.

CET: (Apr 1-29): 7.2°C (-1.3 degC)

E&W Rain: (Apr 1-29): 129.7mm (207 per cent)

E&W Sun: (Apr 1-29): 129.7hr ( 81 per cent)

© Philip Eden

By comparison the Met Office Hadley is on 7.4C up to the 29th. Today's warmth should nudge it up to 7.5C and so a finish after month end adjustment between 7.1C and 7.3C looks likely.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Kentish Man

[reef]

Theres a small chance after adjustments we might actually end up only half a degree up on 1989 (6.6C).

Even a 7.5C finish is 1.0C below the 1981-2000 average, so theres the potential for a pretty cold April. Either way its going to be comfortably the coldest for 23 years. Its looking pretty dull and record-breakingly wet too, so a bit of miserable month after March.

[BornFromTheVoid]

So a chance that the only 10C+ CET day of the month will be today.

Meanwhile in Cork, I'm yet to record a day with a mean temperature warmer than March 1st!

[Optimus Prime]

Appears not once did the maximum temperature reach or exceed 20.0c. Not sure how unusual that is in the long term but it certainly is against the recent run of Aprils.

[johnholmes]

showing -0.2C for the month on the site one of our members set up?

[Terminal Moraine]

I hope it's the coldest and wettest April in living memory so, to back up my hopes, I'll say 5.4c.

Do I get any points for getting half of it right? I thought not!

Here it was the coldest April since 1989 with the mean temperature of 5.7c, just 0.1c lower than in 2001. It was well above 1989 though which had a mean of 4.5c.

[BornFromTheVoid]

Confirmed at 7.2C

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cet_mean_2012

Downward correction of 0.3C