LIKE March, April was warm, dry and sunny. It is hard to imagine a better start to the year. Again, there was more sunshine than in many summer months, certainly for instance, those in the past two years.

Despite attempts in the last ten days to make up the deficit, rainfall for the month generally reached only half to threequarters of usual totals. In the 40 days up to and including the 20th here at Carlton, near Stokesley, there was a mere 0.7mm (0.03ins) of rain. This was easily the driest period of this length in my 20 years of records.

In a similar way to March and, to a lesser extent, April last year, the main contribution to the lofty temperature levels came during the day. Mean maxima were the highest I've recorded for April and just 0.5C (1F) below typical values for May. As night-time temperatures were nearer those expected, overall, it was the second warmest April after that of 1987.

On the 16th, temperatures soared. At Carlton, they scaled 25C (77F), almost 14C (25F) above normal. This comfortably beat my previous April record on the 30th in 1990 and was only 1C (2F) less than the highest for May on the 4th, in 1990 too. In both 1985 and 1993 this would have been the hottest day of the year.

How exceptional this was can be judged by the fact that the difference from the average exceeded that for our hottest-ever day on August 3, 1990, when the mercury peaked at 33.3C (93F). If it had been as much below the norm on the 16th, then it would have stayed below freezing all day!

The daily variation was phenomenal as well. Up from a minimum of 5C (41F), i.e. by 20C (36F), it then plummeted to 3C (37F) early next morning, down 22C (40F), probably the biggest range at any time in my data. It's interesting to note that both the previous April and May records were in 1990, which went on to give an outstanding summer. What will follow this year?

Additionally, the 16th was also to be remembered for its completely cloudless skies. Such days are rare, happening about once every two years. Even in the most settled weather, there is nearly always a streak of high cirrus towards the horizon or the odd fragment of cumulus over the higher hills at sometime during the day. So it was particularly remarkable when this recurred on the 17th.

High pressure continued to rule the roost for much of April. It was positioned mostly over central Europe or southern Scandinavia, giving an airflow from a south-easterly quarter. A few variations on this theme gave some occasional changes from the persistent warmth and dryness.

For example, the high, which had given the marvellous March, moved away to be replaced by another from the west at the start of April. Unfortunately, this hesitated to the west of Britain for a time, allowing a spell of cooler north-westerlies for three or four days.

The remnants of an old front meandered westwards giving a disappointingly overcast day on Sunday the 6th. It was just for the odd day, as on the Monday, the sun reappeared when drier, but distinctly chilly air arrived from the Continent, giving frosts at night. On Thursday the 10th, another weak system, edging in from the east, produced more cloud, with spots of rain in the south of our region. Light snow fell over much of the east and south of England.

Also by then, a low-pressure area looked menacing as it formed near to the Bay of Biscay. This gave the Azores an extremely stormy interlude. A little rain affected western districts, but came no further east. The main effect for us was to turn the wind into the south. This resulted in a daily climb in temperatures from the 10th, when at Carlton, the maximum was 7.5C (45.5F), to those dizzy heights already mentioned. After this, a strengthening wind introduced cooler but still very reasonable conditions from the east.

Easter Monday saw a belt of rain push north-westwards, though amounts from it were mostly negligible by the time it reached us during the morning. Behind it, the breeze swung into the south yet again, and much warmer air returned. Quite widespread showers developed during the afternoon, with a few quite active thunderstorms, bringing the dry spell to a dramatic end for many of us.

A couple of days later, depressions started to form to the south-west of the British Isles. This time they got their act together and they, and their associated fronts, worked their way across Britain from time to time. These brought longer periods of rain with showers in between, giving appreciable rain every day during the final week. But, with wind still from a southerly direction, it remained mild.

APRIL TEMPERATURES & RAINFALL at CARLTON in CLEVELAND

Mean max 14.3C, 57.5F (+2.8C, +5F)

Mean min 4.1C, 39.5F (+0.2C, +0.5F)

Highest max 25.1C, 77F, 16th

Lowest min -3.0C, 26.5F, 10th

Total rainfall 32mm, 1.25ins (-27mm, -1.1ins)

Wettest day 8mm, 0.3ins, 28th

No of rain days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more: 9 (-6)

(Figures in brackets show the difference from the 19-year mean, 1984-2002)