It is now midway through the month and April is living up to its reputation of showers and cool conditions. What a contrast with last April, the warmest and one of the driest Aprils on record in the UK.

Clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine were delivered by anticyclones around the UK and Europe.

This month the skies typically have been full of big, billowing cumulonimbus thunderclouds, and barrages of rain, hail, sleet and lightning, accompanied by a chorus of thunder. A persistent, chill wind has kept temperatures struggling to reach average levels, and rainfall also around average.

Actually, this is a normal April, which is what the temperature and rainfall figures tell us. The big difference from last April is a shortage of high pressure. This month had a succession of depressions, dragging down northerly cold air. This wretched pattern has come with a jet stream weaving across the Atlantic. Britain has been left on the wrong side of this snaking river of high-altitude wind, leaving us exposed to outbreaks of cold Arctic air.

There are hints of warmer weather towards the end of the month, but do not make any plans for barbecues just yet.