Before the rain, around 1PM, the sun was shining through the clouds, enough to cast weak shadows. The temperature rose to 10.7 as a result, still a fair bit below average but - as expected - making a mockery yet again of the 9C high forecast by both MetO and GFS.

EDIT: A long burst of sunshine has boosted temperatures up to 11.7, with a high so far of 12.1. A reminder that August-strength sun soon warms things up down here, even if the 850s are more like late January!

5.3c low 3.6c

1017.4mb falling

The drier than average month continues here (as does the daily watering of plants), but there could be a spot or two of rain later.

Yes the ground around here is already hard and cracked which is remarkable really.  Its either pissnig with rain or freezing cold and dry.

Today has started with a lot of cloud around but is becoming increasingly sunny over time which is a far cry from how this spring has gone so far overall.

I also strongly echo what others are saying about the ground drying very quickly because despite the fact that we've had over twice our average April rainfall during this month and despite the fact that we've already had more than our average spring rainfall during this spring, the ground is already brick hard and almost cracking up due to the much drier weather which we've had over the last week or so.

It therefore, wouldn't surprise me if the next drought and resulting comments on here about concerns of possible water shortages weren't all that far away.

Back on topic, last night wasn't all that warm but it wasn't as cold as the previous night when a ground frost was recorded.

Meanwhile, the temperature at Edinburgh Gogarbank was 5.6°C as at 7:30am BST (06:30 UTC) this morning.

https://i.postimg.cc/hGpvP7cw/blakey-snowing-25th-april-2024.jpg 

https://i.postimg.cc/CLhqYYGz/blakey-25th-April.jpg 

9.5C, so not really out and about weather. 

An office day with heater running.

This morning's rain band nicely split just as it was about to hit Sheppey so, as it's been dry again, I've been out with the watering cans. I reckon the end-of-month precipitation chart will show a dry anomaly right over Sheppey!

It's just this minute has scraped 10 C and continue to be gloomy with spitty rain at this end. I've just fired up the heating at 21 C indoors to shift that clammy feel again. Honestly, apart from a couple of half decent days, this Spring so far has been poo. 

Similar here too and currently 6.8°C and there was wintriness in some of the showers first thing this morning.