By AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Apr. 27, 2021 6:39 PM AKDT
April showers across the United Kingdom have been much less abundant than normal this year with Britain closing in on one of the driest Aprils on record.
According to the UK Met Office, an average of just 12.8 mm (0.50 of an inch) of rain has fallen across the U.K. through April 22, the Evening Standard reported. Rainfall so far this month has been a mere 18% of normal, which stands at 72.5 mm (2.86 inches).
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The direst areas have been across central and southern England, with many locations receiving less than 10% of their typical April rainfall. London is one of the driest locations, with just 1.3 mm (0.05 of an inch) of rain, or 3% of the city's April average being reported. Normal rainfall for London during this time is 34.3 mm (1.30 inches).
Patrons enjoy the sunshine as they sit outside eating and drinking in the Soho area of London, Monday, April 12, 2021, as restaurants, bars and pubs can open and serve people who can be seated outside. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
However, even some parts of Scotland have been exceptionally dry. Edinburgh has reported just 2.3 mm (0.09 of an inch) of rain - only 6% of normal.
The only portion of the U.K. to have near-normal and above-normal rainfall so far this month has been northern Scotland.
According to the Evening Standard, the driest April on record across the U.K. as a whole occurred in 1938 when 14.1 mm (0.56 of an inch) of rain was recorded, followed by 1974 when about 14.6 mm (0.57 of an inch) fell.
The dry weather has led to an increased risk for wildfires. According to the BBC, one such fire began on Sunday near Huddersfield in central England and spread to cover a length of 1.6 km (1 mile).
Drier-than-normal conditions are also present across Northern Ireland where a large fire recently charred the slopes of Slieve Donard, the country's highest mountain.
During the last several days of April, AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer expects scattered showers on a daily basis across a large portion of the U.K.
“On Wednesday, showers can be the most numerous across southern England,” Smithmyer said. “Some of these showers could even be wintry across northern areas through the rest of the week.”
Even with the expected rainfall, it is expected to be light and there is not expected to be a significant increase in the percentage of rainfall compared to normal across the U.K.
“Through the next few days as April comes to a close, any rainfall London will receive will likely not amount to even 20% of their normal April precipitation,” Smithmyer added.
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Along with the lack of rainfall, this month has come an abundance of sunshine. According to the UK Met Office, April has brought 174.6 hours of sunshine to the U.K. April 2020 was the sunniest April on record across the U.K. with 224.5 hours.
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