News release

2 May 2007

Record breaking warm April

Met Office climate scientists have confirmed today that April 2007 and the 12-month rolling period records have been the warmest on record.

Final April and 12-month rolling figures in the Central England Temperature (CET) series are:

11.2 °C for the month of April, beating the previous record of 10.6 °C set in 1865
11.6 °C for the 12-month rolling period for May 2006 to April 2007, beating the previous record of 11.1 °C for the 12-month period ending October 1995.

New records have also been set for the whole of the UK, which date back to 1914:

Final temperatures for April
	Final temperature for April 2007	April mean temperature (1971-2000)	Previous April record	Date of record
UK	10.2 °C	6.9 °C	9.2 °C	1943
England	11.0 °C	7.6 °C	10.2 °C	1943
Northern Ireland	10.3 °C	7.2 °C	9.3 °C	1944
Scotland	8.9 °C	5.7 °C	8.1 °C	2003
Wales	10.1 °C	7.2 °C	9.3 °C	1987

Final mean temperatures - 12-month record
	Provisional (May 2006-April 2007)	Previous 12-month record	Date of record
UK	10.5 °C	9.7 °C	March 1997 to February 1998
England	11.4 °C	10.6 °C	November 1994 to October 1995
Northern Ireland	10.1 °C	9.8 °C	April 1997 to March 1998
Scotland	8.9 °C	8.4 °C	March 1997 to February 1998
Wales	10.7 °C	10.2 °C	November 1994 to October 1995

The dry weather has also been a feature of April.

Mean rainfall for April
	Final rainfall figure for April 2007	April mean rainfall (1971-2000)	Current low April record	Date of record
UK	25.6 mm	69.6 mm	14.1 mm	1938
England	10.5 mm	56.8 mm	6.7 mm	1938
Northern Ireland	28.0 mm	70.6 mm	8.2 mm	1938
Scotland	50.6 mm	86.2 mm	14.0 mm	1974
Wales	23.6 mm	85.7 mm	8.8 mm	1938

For further information:

Met Office Press Office +44 (0)1392 886655

Met Office Customer Centre 0870 900 0100

If you're outside the UK +44 (0)1392 885680