TRENDS for the week of 10 to 16 April 2021
-- Temperatures will average 2 to 4 deg below normal, with a slight moderating trend during the week.
-- Rainfall (liquid equivalent of wintry showers included) will be 25 to 50 per cent of normal, possibly less in the southeast.
-- Sunshine will be about 75 per cent of normal values. Winds generally
about average in speed, sometimes dropping off to calm overnight.
FORECASTS
TODAY will start out very cold and bright, with a rapid increase in
cloud likely before mid-day, followed by outbreaks of wintry mixed
showers including some snow and possible local accumulations in central
and northern counties. Highs only reaching about 4 to 7 C. The south
coast may be slightly more moderate with regard to both temperature and
wintry showers.
TONIGHT the wintry showers will die out during the evening, with partial
clearing to follow and another sharp frost is likely with lows -5 to -1
C.
SUNDAY will be similar to today in most respects, but the spread of
wintry showers will probably be less dramatic and it could also get
slightly milder with highs of 5 to 9 C possible.
MONDAY will have some light rain at times across the north, and partly
to mostly cloudy skies in the south after somewhat less frosty
conditions, lows -2 to +3 C, highs 7 to 11 C.
From then on, high pressure will be fairly dominant with just isolated
showers and temperatures edging upwards to values closer to mid-April
normals, probably adding 1 or 2 deg each day until reaching about 13-14 C
later in the week. There will still be some slight frosts in this
moderating pattern. One rather strong front is set to approach western
counties late in the week, it may deliver some moderate rainfalls to
coastal areas although eventually it will break up in its efforts to
push further inland against the high pressure situated further east.
The pattern within a week will become more moderate still and
temperatures could be near or even slightly above April normal values by
later in the month.
PETER FOR IWO