April 2021 has been the frostiest in at least 60 years
This April has been one of the frostiest the UK has ever seen, topping the record set in 1970.
Here in Kent, there are worries that our orchards and gardens may be suffering due to the cold. Guy Barter, chief horticulturist at the Royal Horticultural Society, told the MET office that cherry, plum and pear blossom was damaged meaning “the fruit crop will be reduced.”
In other areas of the garden, there’s a chance that flowers like Camellia and Magnolias had been “scorched”.
Thankfully, the Tulip Watch held at Hever Castle every year is still going ahead – and the flowers are looking magnificent.
The quantity of frosty mornings is mainly due to how dry this April has been – having almost set another record.
Mark McCarthy, from the National Climate Information Centre, said: “We’ve been seeing a high frequency of frosts overnight throughout April thanks largely to persistent clear skies for most.
“This will be reflected in the end of the month statistics, which are already showing above average sunshine duration, as well as low minimum temperature readings overnight, with some parts of northern England and Scotland reporting minimum temperatures 3.5°C lower than the average for April.”
Elsewhere around the country, this dry and frosty spell has sparked worries of wildfires.
⚠️ With the recent dry weather, there’s a high risk of wildfires which could devastate wildlife. We are on #firealert.
?? Please don’t light BBQs or fires and don’t discard cigarettes or glass in the open countryside.
Please report any wildfires ☎️999 https://t.co/CpxztFqr7n pic.twitter.com/k0vTKUpM1c
— North York Moors NP (@northyorkmoors) April 22, 2021
The dry weather here in Kent has pushed South East Water to remind people how they can save water this National Gardening Week:
