Thursday was a gloomy day with the least daily solar energy this month due to thick cloud all day. By 13.00 the first drops of rain were observed that continued until 22.10. The daily rainfall of 11.4mm was the wettest day in April and took the monthly total to 74.7mm being 132% of the 39-year April average.
After a maximum of 11.9C at 13.00 (2.2C below the average) the temperature fell away to 9.4C at 20.00 then began to rise again to reach 11.4C at 08.00 Friday.
As a result of the very mild night the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm read 11.3C at 08.00, the warmest the soil has been at that depth since 14th November.
Friday began with more cloud cover and light drizzle, petering out by 08.00.