April 30, 2002
Britain has enjoyed the hottest April for 15 years.

Figures for April from PA WeatherCentre showed temperatures at 1.5-2.5C (2.7-4.5F) above average.

It was particularly warm in central London, where the mercury reached a high of 23.5C (74.3F) on April 23 - one of the hottest readings anywhere in the UK for the month since 1996.

The figures showed that in the past 100 years, only 11 Aprils were warmer, including 1999, 1993 and 1987.

April in England and Wales was also the sunniest since 1990.

Some parts of Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire were especially dry, with 35 consecutive days of no significant rain during March and April.

Much of eastern, central and southern Britain had little or no rain until the morning of the 25th, the spokesman said.

But the last six days were generally wet, and rainfall totals for the month ranged from 220mm (8.66in) at Nantmore in Snowdonia to just 12mm (0.48in) at Hunstanton in Norfolk.

The next few days are likely to be unsettled, the spokesman said.